 |
WV Citizen Action Group |
August 9 |
-
Energy Efficient West Virginia is Working Hard to Save Schools and Consumers Money in WV
-
West Virginian's Participate in National Stop the Frack Attack Event
-
MamaCare Picnic Celebrates New Health Care Coverage for Women
-
WVCAG and West Virginians for Democracy Host Move to Amend in Charleston
Citizen Action on the Move
by Gary Zuckett, Executive Director,
garyz@wvcag.org
Wow, it’s been several months since we’ve published a newsletter.
Time sure flies when working to save the planet, or even a piece of
it the size of West Virginia. I’ll try to get you all caught up on
some of our Citizen Actions!
One of the things that CAG does best is spawn affiliate groups. Our
newest, West Virginians for Democracy started this year and is
focused on undoing the “Citizens United” Supreme Decision that
opened the floodgates of unrestricted corporate money to buy
elections. Calling corporations “fictional persons” and giving them
the same rights as real flesh & blood citizens is wrong and damages
our democracy in more ways than elections. A constitutional
amendment is needed to undo this court’s folly. See more in
Barbara’s article on Move to Amend.
Our Energy Efficiency group Energy
Efficient West Virginia is going gangbusters to promote
the best ways to save money, energy, mountains, and the planet by
being more efficient. West Virginians use more energy per capita
than just about anyone else in the country. Our homes are older and
draftier, our appliances and lighting need upgrades and our Public
Service Commission needs to make the utilities cough up more
efficiency programs for consumers and also make them use
conservation and efficiency to forestall the need to build new
generation. See Cathy & Stacy’s articles and a big welcome to Stacy
Gloss as our new EEWV coordinator!
WV Surface Owners Rights
Organization, now in its fifth year, continues the fight for
justice in the oil & gas fields. We started this group before
Marcellus Shale was hot and when no one outside the industry had
even heard of Fracking. See Julie's article on the national Frack
Attack rally and lobby effort in DC she helped organize. The WV
legislature needs to realize that they haven’t “fixed” citizen’s
problems with gas drilling by passing the governor’s industry-
vetted bill last year.
Federal issues take up a lot of our time and energy. We work closely
with our USAction national
coalition of 23 state Citizen Action groups whose office is on K
Street in DC. Along with USAction, we’re also working with Americans
for Fair Taxation, Transportation 4 America and Social Security
Works to move along federal legislation such as ending the Bush tax
cuts for the top 2%, putting folks back to work rebuilding our state
& nation’s roads and bridges, making collage loans more affordable,
preserving our social programs such as Social Security, Medicare &
Medicaid, and defending and implementing the Affordable Care Act –
affectionately called ObamaCare.
I could go on and on, but the point I’m trying to make here is that
you, as a supporter/member of WV Citizen Action, are helping to
fight back against the forces of greed and prejudice that want to
take us back to the robber baron era. Instead, let’s all work
together for progressive change by renewing your membership and, if
you can, kicking in a few extra bucks to help us keep up the fight!
This can be easily done on our
www.wvcag.org web page or using the handy renewal form in this
newsletter. While you’re at our web page, don’t forget to sign up
for our action alerts (if not getting them) and “like’ our
Facebook
page so we can keep you up to date on ways you can weigh in on
current events.
Campaign Finance
Woes by Julie Archer,
julie@wvcag.org
For those who haven’t been following the trials and tribulations of the
West Virginia Supreme Court public campaign financing pilot project,
here’s the latest.
How we got here…
In recent years, spending has skyrocketed in West Virginia Supreme Court
races. Third parties have spent record amounts trying to influence the
outcome of our elections. In 2008, the candidates spent a combined $3.3
million, making it the most expensive election to date. In 2009, the US
Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for State Supreme Court
Justice Brent Benjamin to fail to recuse himself from a case against
Massey Energy in the wake of an independent expenditure campaign on his
behalf funded by Massey CEO Don Blankenship. In its ruling in Caperton
v. Massey, SCOTUS said that due process was violated because of the lack
of an impartial decision maker.
In response to these disturbing trends and the black eye the Court
received because of the Caperton case, Governor Joe Manchin convened the
West Virginia Independent Commission on Judicial Reform, with honorary
chair Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, to find a better way to run judicial
elections in the state. The Commission, first and foremost, recommended
the introduction of a public financing system for Supreme Court
elections. The Legislature agreed with the Commission’s recommendation
and implemented a pilot public financing program for the 2012 Supreme
Court election.
How it is supposed to work…
After collecting a set number of qualifying contributions from West
Virginia voters to demonstrate a base of public support, participants in
the program forgo raising private donations and receive public money to
run their campaigns. Candidates receive an initial monetary grant and
are eligible for supplemental funds equal to the amount by which they
are outspent by their non-participating opponents and outside groups up
to a set limit.
Where we are today…
Unfortunately, only a single candidate, Republican Allen Loughry, chose
to participate in the public financing program this year. In July, the
State Election Commission (SEC) held an emergency meeting to consider
whether to make supplemental funds available to Loughry based on a
disclosure filed by his opponent Justice Robin Davis. The report filed
by Davis indicated her re-election campaign had spent $494,471 between
May 9 and June 30, exceeding the first threshold of $420,000, and
technically making Loughry eligible for a supplemental payment of
$144,471.
However, in a 2-2 deadlock, the SEC failed to authorize the funding,
with Commissioner Gary Collis arguing it that it would be improper to
disperse the funds in light of the 2011 US Supreme Court ruling in
Arizona Free Enterprise v. Bennett, which struck down a mechanism in
Arizona’s public financing program for legislative and executive
candidates that triggered the release of additional funds to
participating candidates when they were outspent by non-participating
opponents or independent expenditures.
The next day, former state Democratic Party chair Mike Callaghan filed a
petition in U.S. District Court asking the court to strike down the
rescue funding provisions in the West Virginia law on the same grounds.
Loughry filed a motion to intervene in that challenge and has petitioned
the state Supreme Court to compel the SEC to release the supplemental
funds. Ideally, the Legislature would have revisited West Virginia’s law
in the wake of the Arizona Free Enterprise ruling in order to avoid a
legal challenge. However, the law establishing the program remains
unchanged and the SEC has a legal obligation to fulfill its duties under
the law, which include releasing supplemental funds to participating
candidates once the conditions for releasing those funds are met. Oddly
enough, after Loughry sued the SEC for withholding the supplemental
funds from his campaign, the Commission held another emergency meeting
and voted to defend the law it is being sued for not following.
Why we still need public financing…
Despite the current legal quandary, the need to protect the integrity
and credibility of our courts and strengthen public confidence in the
judiciary remains. By providing Supreme Court candidates with
no-strings-attached funds and shielding them from the biasing influence
that can come with private contributions, public financing protects the
impartiality of the Court and the justices on it.
It’s a shame that other candidates did not attempt to qualify for public
financing, because once elected a publicly financed candidate won’t owe
any favors to special-interest benefactors. Loughry’s stand in defense
of the law deserves praise and we hope his efforts to defend public
financing for judges result in a decisive decision to uphold the law.
It is essential that judges be impartial, with no possibility of
influence by financial supporters. Public financing in judicial
elections is vital to protecting the impartiality, and the appearance of
impartiality, of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. With public
financing, judges no longer must rely on support from lawyers and
special interest contributors who frequently have cases before the
court. When justices take money from these parties, it is quite
reasonable to question whether Lady Justice may have one eye peeking out
from under the blindfold. Public financing keeps the blindfold squarely
in place, reassuring everyone that justice is truly being done.
Contribution limits challenged…
Sadly, the public campaign financing pilot project is not the law being
challenged. In an unrelated case, an unaffiliated political action
committee (PAC) calling itself Stay the Course West Virginia has
petitioned a federal judge to overturn the state's $1,000 limit on what
an individual or PAC can contribute to such independent expenditure PACs
each election. In its suit, Stay the Course also challenged a state
policy barring corporations from giving directly to such PACs.
According to media reports, the group wants to influence the outcome of
the November elections and says it wants to support one or more
incumbents it credits for recent changes in the state's economy, and
target those who oppose them.
Unfortunately, campaign finance experts we have consulted indicate it
will be an uphill battle to defend the contributions limits in this
situation. Stay the Course has set itself up as an
independent-expenditure-only group, and is essentially arguing that they
should be the state-level equivalent of a federal Super PAC. Super PACs
may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions,
associations and individuals, and then spend unlimited sums to overtly
advocate for or against political candidates. Alas, a number of courts
have recently ruled that groups like Stay the Course should be free of
contribution limits.
Last week, US District Court Judge Thomas Johnson held a preliminary
hearing to consider the group’s request for an injunction pending the
outcome of their lawsuit. However, Johnson held off issuing an immediate
ruling on whether to block the cap temporarily.
As for the corporate contribution ban, the Secretary of State’s office
has conceded that some of the guidance it offered on the topic is
outdated and fails to reflect changes in the law made in response to
SCOTUS’s ruling in Citizens United. Johnston asked both sides to draft a
proposed order reflecting that understanding.
We’ll be closely following these cases as they work their way through
the courts and continue to keep you posted. To stay informed see the
latest news coverage at www.wvoter-owned.org
Energy Efficient West Virginia is Working
Hard to Save Schools and Consumers Money in WV
by Cathy Kunkle,
cathykunkle@gmail.com
Energy Efficient West Virginia
has had a busy few months. We hired a new project manager, Stacy
Gloss, to coordinate more of our work with community energy
efficiency initiatives around the state. We are excited to be
building a network and serving as a resource for local groups and
municipalities that are working on energy efficiency projects.
We recently finished an analysis of the
potential
for energy efficiency in West Virginia's schools. Analyzing
energy use data available from 37 counties, we found that the state
could be saving about $20 million per year if all of the counties in
the state achieved the same level of energy efficiency as Wyoming
County, one of the top-performing counties. That is $20 million that
could be better spent on teachers, text books, and education. We are
beginning to work with the Department of Education and WV
Sustainable Schools Initiative on implementing some of our
recommendations. If you are interested in finding out more
information and/or helping your school district save money through
efficiency, please contact us.
We are gearing up for a busy fall at the Public Service Commission.
Appalachian Power has proposed to purchase two existing coal plants
from Ohio Power (see recent
State Journal article). The company claims that this is the
least-cost option for its customers to meet future energy supply
needs, even though they haven't analyzed much in the way of other
alternatives. We are skeptical that this plan is in the best
interest of Appalachian's customers given that increasing coal
prices and coal price volatility are largely responsible for our
recent rate hikes. We will be fighting this proposal and continuing
to push the company to invest more in energy efficiency. Also this
fall, Mon Power and Potomac Edison will be presenting the results of
the first year of their meager energy efficiency program to the
Public Service Commission; we will be advocating for them to offer
more programs to their customers, as they do in the other states
where they operate.
Contact us at
energyefficientwestvirginia@gmail.com for more information about
any of our projects.
News From West Virginia
Surface Owners Rights Organization
Legislature Disappoints on Drilling Issues
After a disappointing version of Marcellus legislation, often
referred to as “The Governor’s Bill” passed in a 2011 special
session, West Virginia legislators were hesitant to address any
bills or resolutions related to Marcellus drilling in the state
during the 2012 session. WV-SORO pushed hard to have legislators
address issues related to rejoining estates divided by separate
ownership of minerals and surfaces. Two WV-SORO bills HB 2851 and HB
4393 would have reversed the trend of separate ownership in one
small way – by giving surface owners a chance to own any interests
in the minerals under their land if any of those interests are sold
for unpaid taxes. The bill was referred to the House Committee on
Energy Industry and Labor (EIL), and was then placed in a
subcommittee where it did not reemerge for the full session.
Of the twenty-three Marcellus bills introduced to the West Virginia
Legislature in 2012, only three study resolutions passed the
session:
• how to best use the additional severance tax collections
attributed to shale gas production and whether such funds should be
used to promote “a shared prosperity” through the creation of “a
Future Generations’ Fund for the benefit of the general public
welfare;”
• the creation of a shale research center at West Virginia
University to foster scientific research and encourage partnerships
between and among the university, government, and industry; and
• the relationship between increases in seismic events and
hydrocarbon production and exploration.
Surface Owners Look to Courts for Justice
After four years of inaction by the legislature, WV-SORO began
focusing on litigation as a means to further our goals of helping
surface owners have their rights recognized and respected, and
giving them more say when oil and gas development occurs on their
land. WV-SORO is currently involved in four such cases.
The WV Supreme Court case, DEP and EQT vs. Hamblet, addresses the
permitting process for drilling on a surface owner’s land. When a
surface owner receives notification of permits for drilling, they
usually have about 15 days to file comments with the permitting
agency to contest the permit or challenge portions of it. Most
often, these comments do not result in denial of the permit. DEP and
EQT vs. Hamblet argues, in part that surface owners have the right
to a hearing before the state agency issuing the permit for drilling
on their land. Also at issue in the case is the surface owner’s
right to appeal permitting decisions and processes through the
circuit court system. More information on DEP and EQT vs. Hamblet
can be found at www.wvsoro.org/current_events/hamblet/.
WV-SORO is working on two cases, Cain vs. XTO and Moss vs. Antero
involving mineral owners who use their deeds to drill onto tracts of
neighboring land for which they do not own the mineral rights. After
failing to negotiate drilling sites with surface owners, in both
cases, drillers dug multiple horizontal wells surface owners’ land,
and in one case, damaged neighboring pieces of land in the process.
The law implies that, in deeds like the ones separating the Cain’s
and Moss’s surface from the minerals, the mineral owner has the
right to do whatever is reasonably necessary to the surface to get
to and develop the minerals beneath the surface tract. The
plaintiffs argue however that using the surface of one tract to
drill into neighboring mineral tracts constitutes trespassing.
WV-SORO is hoping for a ruling that will protect all surface owners
by affirming their consent is need before huge Marcellus wells sites
can be place on their land.
In a fourth case, EQT vs. Doddridge County Commission/Huffs et al,
EQT wants to drill horizontal wells in a meadow owned by the Huffs.
The meadow is in a floodplain, and the Huffs, who have already
experienced a great deal of flooding on their land, argue that the
drill sites will increase the probability of floods on their
surface. This case is further complicated by a county ordinance
stating that in order for a county to have floodplain insurance,
there must be clear rules restricting construction on floodplains.
This means that if EQT wins the case, the Huffs and other Doddridge
County residents will be subject to a potential increase in
flooding, but could also be unable to insure their property against
flood damages to their property. You can find details about the
cases in this summer’s
WV-SORO
Newsletter.
Host Farm Program Supports Study of Drilling Impacts
Surface owners will now have greater opportunities to partners with
environmental science faculty and students, health professionals,
environmental advocacy groups, environmental law and public policy
professionals, journalists. Landowners directly effected by
Marcellus Shale drilling can enroll in the West Virginia Farm Host
Program, which is working with Duke University and other
environmental research and advocacy institutions to study the
impacts of this development and address the growing discrepancy
between individuals who own the land and companies that want to
drill for its minerals that lie underneath.
In West Virginia, little environmental research is being conducted
on the impact of Marcellus shale drilling and how it affects the
people of the state, their farms, their health, safety, and their
environment. Oil and gas corporations and their lobbying groups
operating in West Virginia have funded research projects through
grants and other allocations, which explore the economic benefits of
Marcellus shale drilling for the state and its citizens. But it is
difficult to locate comparable of research projects underway that
give equal attention to the environmental and other impacts of
Marcellus shale drilling in West Virginia.
Water quality programs are currently underway in New Milton. To
learn more about these and other Host Farm Program partnerships
visit www.wvhostfarms.org.
To keep up to date on West Virginia's surface owner issues, be sure
to visit www.wvsoro.org
West Virginians
Participate in Stop the Frack Attack Events in Washington,
DC
by Julie Archer,
julie@wvcag.org
Community members and organizations across the country
gathered in Washington, DC on July 28 for a rally at the Capitol to
demand greater government responsibility and corporate accountability
for the harm that existing oil and gas development causes, starting with
the removal of special exemptions and subsidies for the oil and gas
industry.
In addition to the Saturday rally and march, the week's events included
a lobby day on Capitol Hill, as well as trainings, strategy sessions and
a town hall style meeting.
(Left to Right) Julie Archer with Fiona Druge of
Morgantown, Letty Butcher of Independence, Rick Humphreys and his
daughter Kelly of Mannington. Fiona is a summer intern with
Oil Change International. Letty and
Rick are members of WV-SORO. Kelly was a youth speaker and WV
representative at the rally.
On Thursday, 140 citizens lobbied members Congress. More
than 250 people attended the National Gathering on Friday to talk
strategy and share their stories. Saturday's rally at the US Capitol and
march to America's Natural Gas Alliance and American Petroleum Institute
was 5,000 strong. Although folks from West Virginia turned out for all
of the events, we had the biggest showing at the rally and march. The WV
Chapter of the Sierra Club chartered a bus to the event. Nearly 50
people rode the bus, including members of the WV Surface Owners' Rights
Organization, and other folks connected with the WV delegation in DC.
The WV delegation arrived in Washington to
Stop the Frack Attack!
Representatives Diana DeGette (D-Colorado), Maurice Hinchey (D-New York)
and Jared Polis (D-Colorado) addressed activists that attended
Thursday's lobby day. Friday's town hall speakers included author and
environmentalist Bill McKibben, GASLAND director Josh Fox and citizens
from across the country whose communities are affected by fracking.
McKibben and Fox also spoke at Saturday's rally along with Kari Matsko
(OH), Mike Tidwell (MD), Laura Amos (CO), John Fenton (WY), Dayne
Praztky (Australia), Jameson Lisak (PA), Kelly Humphreys (WV), Calvin
Tillman (TX), Lori New Breast (Blackfoot Confederacy) and Doug Shields
(PA). Dr. Catherine Thomasson of Physicians for Social Responsibility
and Allison Chin of the Sierra Club also addressed the crowed. Jen Krill
and Gwen Lachelt with Earthworks served as MCs for the event.
Julie Archer and WV-SORO member Rick Humphreys represented WV on the
national advisory committee.
The rally and march were
covered by WBOY-TV in Clarksburg and we’ll be posting videos of the
speakers at
www.youtube.com/user/wvsoro.
More information at:
stopthefrackattack.org.
MamaCare Picnic Celebrates
New Health Coverage for Woman & Children
by Maggie Fry,
maggie@wvcag.org
Fourteen organizations, including WV-CAG, gathered together
Wednesday, August 1st at Charleston’s East End “Celebration
Station” for a “MamaCare” picnic to commemorate
what Kira
Miskimmin, called "The greatest advance in women's health in a
generation." Miskimmin, director of public affairs for West Virginia
Planned Parenthood, is referring to portions of the Affordable Care
Act designed to prevent insurance companies from discriminating
against women.
The provisions will require insurance companies to offer a variety
of services to women with no co-pay or deductible, including: an
annual well woman visit, birth control (including oral contraception
and IUDs,) HIV screening and counseling, sexually transmitted
infection counseling, screening for gestational diabetes,
breastfeeding consultation and supplies, including breast pumps, and
screening and counseling for domestic violence.
One of the most celebrated portions of the new legislation is ending
the trend of charging women up to 50% more for insurance coverage
based solely on their gender. National Health and Human Services
Director, Kathleen Sebelius and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
released a statement saying that this discrimination costs women
$1 billion a year. While the increased services will begin this
year, the elimination of gender based premiums will not go into
effect until 2014.
Margaret Chapman Pomponio, Executive Director of WV Free says the
MamaCare picnic drew together 150 people in Charleston to celebrate
these initial phases of better healthcare for women. In an interview
with Charleston Metro News,
Pomponio reported that these provisions are expected to save
West Virginia’s families a great deal on out of pocket expenses in
addition to saving women’s lives.
Margaret Pomponio talks with reporter about historic changes to women's healthcare at the MamaCare Picnic.
WVCAG and West Virginians
for Democracy Host Move To Amend in Charleston
by Barbara Frierson, West Virginians for Democracy (WVFD)
On Friday, July 6, several local organizations welcomed David Cobb
and George Friday from the national Move to Amend barnstorming tour
to a rousing public event at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation
in Charleston. A hundred or so people turned out to enjoy cool
drinks and refreshments while Cobb and Friday heated up the night
with their call to action against corporate rule in America.
The U S Supreme Court's ruling in "Citizens United v. FEC" opened
the floodgates to unlimited corporate spending on elections. Move to
Amend is the coalition of hundreds of organizations and tens of
thousands of individuals across the country that has developed in
response to the ruling. Cobb, an attorney and organizer, supports
amending the U S Constitution to restore power to the people over
corporations and is one of the leaders responsible for helping Move
to Amend Members develop resolutions to overturn Citizens United
throughout the country. He spoke clearly about the historic role and
legal status of corporations in this country, and the need to
abolish the concepts of "corporate personhood" and "money = free
speech" -- neither of which meets the original intent of the
Constitution.
Cobb was joined by George Friday, a social justice advocate and
founder of Independent Progressive Public Policy Network, which
challenges corporate influence in American democracy. Both explained
that this policy trend, which favors corporate interests over
individual voices must be corrected at the grassroots level, and we
need to prepare ourselves to work consistently and intelligently to
reach the goal of true democracy)
For more details, check out the videos of the July 6 forum produced
by Jeremy Brannon:
here,
and here
WVCAG and WVFD are working locally to support this nationwide
campaign. Contact WVCAG, to find out how you can get involved.
Welcome Stacy Gloss,
Introducing Our Newest Staff Addition!
West Virginia Citizen Action Group recently hired new staff member
Stacy Gloss to join the Energy Efficient West Virginia team. Stacy
graduated from Appalachian State University with a concentration in
Sustainable Development in 2009. She first cut her teeth on energy
efficiency and renewable energy in Boone, NC by coordinating two
Western North Carolina Wind Workshops and coordinated an energy fair
in a rural county. After graduating, she was hired as an AmeriCorps
VISTA at the Pine Mountain Settlement School in Harlan County, KY
organizing a program to promote energy efficiency in the local
community. Stacy most recently joins us from Knoxville, TN where she
worked for the Knoxville - Knox County Community Action Committee
department of Housing & Energy Services. While there she hosted two
annual Community Energy Efficiency & Weatherization Fairs and
partnered with the City of Knoxville on a grant for Energy Star
appliance upgrades and solar project installations for city
residents. Admittedly she geeks out on energy efficiency and
generally likes to talk about energy bills, CFLS and insulation.
Stacy looks forward to developing Energy Efficient West Virginia’s
coalition and supporting statewide energy efficiency initiatives. In
her spare time she is helping her partner finish a small cabin in
Southern West Virginia.
EEWV Goes on the Road
by Stacy Gloss stacy.eewv@gmail.com
Early in August, I travelled with Cathy Kunkel to Philippi, WV in
Barbour County to provide a workshop on rising electric rates, how
energy efficiency programs can help utility customers save energy
and money, and how citizens can push for stronger energy efficiency
programs. Hosted by the Women’s Democratic Club of Philippi, we met
with about twelve community members in a private room of Smokey
Ray’s restaurant. We don’t always know the background of everyone we
meet with before we arrive, but as the group was just the right size
for conversation we began with go-around introductions. “What’s your
name and what do you associate with energy efficiency?”
I was prepared to talk about energy efficiency in the home; but
during the introductions I learned that this group already knew and
applied many of the energy saving tips I would provide! Answers
ranged any where from energy efficient lighting to insulation,
energy saving appliances and improved HVAC systems. Inevitably
renewable energy was part of the conversation with a participant who
highlighted the solar array at her home. And, with an AES wind
energy farm so close by on Laurel Mountain, wind power was named as
well.
What I like so much about energy efficiency are the options
available to us. Whether the choice for energy efficiency is to be
energy conscious or financially conscious or both, the options are
almost limitless. (Just go to the light bulb section of the hardware
store these days to find many choices for CFLs, LEDs, and more
efficient incandescent bulbs too).
Energy Efficient West Virginia is working towards stronger standards
and policies in the state toward energy efficiency. And naturally we
envision many more communities with sustainable energy plans and
options for free energy assessments and incentives for energy
efficient upgrades. But, some of the best part of our work is
talking with state residents about their ideas.
To invite us to a community event or organization meeting to talk
about our work or energy efficiency options, you can contact me at
stacy.eewv@gmail.com or visit us on the web at
www.eewv.org.
The Best Stimulus – Raise
the Minimum Wage
by Gary Zuckett,
garyz@wvcag.org
One of the reasons our economy is still in the tank is that low-wage
workers don’t make enough to live on. If we raise the minimum wage
to something more reasonable this new paycheck money will be
immediately spent into local economies. The real value of the
minimum wage today buys less than it did in 1956. In addition,
workers who rely on tips haven’t seen an increase in their wages
since 1991. The minimum pay for tipped workers, excluding tips, has
been stuck at a paltry $2.13 per hour for 21 years. And, the federal
minimum wage doesn’t automatically rise with inflation
Recently Rep. George Miller introduced the Fair Minimum Wage Act of
2012. More than 100 US House members are listed as co-sponsors!
The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2012 (H.R. 6211) will increase the
minimum wage in three, 85-cent steps, over three years, from $7.25 to
$9.80 per hour. The rate will then be indexed to inflation each year
thereafter. In addition, the legislation will increase the required
cash wage for tipped workers in annual 85 cent increases, from
today’s $2.13 per hour until the tip credit reaches 70 % of the
regular minimum wage.
However, none of WV’s three US House members were listed as
supporting the bill. Contact
your Representative and ask them to co-sponsor and support an
increase in the minimum wage.
www.wvcag.org 304-346-5891 Subscribe/Unsubscribe |
 |