Our Vision
Every West Virginian deserves the freedom to build a life with dignity, security, and opportunity, yet too many families are struggling with rising costs of utilities and healthcare, low wages, and a political system that serves corporate interests over our communities and our neighbors.
West Virginia Citizen Action Group and our members believe that affordability and dignity go hand in hand. People deserve to meet their basic needs, participate fully in their communities, and have a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape their lives. These are all symptoms of systemic issues that we can address collectively through three main popular demands, and specific policy priorities to support each.
People over profit.
Essential services like healthcare, electricity, and the means to participate in a healthy democracy should be affordable and accessible and serve the people, not corporate shareholders. No one should get rich by making it harder for West Virginians to afford the basics.
Dignity is a policy choice.
No one should have to choose between paying the electric bill, seeing a doctor, buying groceries, or affording rent, and every single person deserves clean air, clean water, and the dignity to make decisions about their personal property. Every time someone is faced with these choices is a systemic and avoidable policy failure.
Government works for everyone.
Public institutions should be transparent, accountable, and responsive to all the people of West Virginia.
Communities Over Computers
Our goal
Affordable energy, clean air and water, and a fair energy system that protects working families, not utility monopolies and out-of-state corporations
Popular Demands
- Lower the rates – affordable utilities for all
- Ratepayers should never have to subsidize corporate profits or risky investments
- Protect clean air, clean water, andÂ
- Community control over their energy future, including bring-your-own approaches
- Utility accountability and transparency
Policy Priorities
Utility Affordability and Accountability
- West Virginia Ratepayers Bill of Rights
- Strengthen ratepayer and community representation at the WV Public Service Commission
- Elected commissioners for the PSC
- End automatic rate hikes
- Prevent data centers and large industrial customers from shifting costs onto residential customers and small businesses
Energy Freedom
- Protect and expand one-to-one net metering
- Remove barriers to solar adoption and authorize community solar
- Expand energy efficiency and weatherization programs
- Increase access to lower-cost clean energy options for households, schools, churches, local small businesses, and local governments
Economic Development
- Prioritize investments that create long-term jobs for West Virginians to remain in West Virginia
- Oppose taxpayer-funded giveaways and tax breaks/loopholes for corporations while passing off costs to ratepayers
- Ensure new energy and industrial projects deliver measurable community benefits
Healthcare for All, Not for Profit
Our Goal
Affordable, accessible healthcare that puts patients first and guarantees everyone can get the care they need when they need it
Popular Demands
- Lower healthcare costs
- Protect Medicaid and Medicare
- Medicare for All
- End medical debt
- Keep hospitals and healthcare services available for every community
Policy Priorities
Healthcare Affordability
- Cap out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and essential healthcare services
- Expand protections against medical debt and predatory collection practices
- Increase transparency in healthcare pricing
Protect Medicaid and Medicare
- Expand Medicaid coverage and protect the program from privatization
- End for-profit Medicare Advantage programs and expand services
- Simplify enrollment and renewal processes
Care Over Corporate Profits
- Oppose privatization and private insurance
- Strengthen oversight and cut out middlemen
- Address environmental factors that contribute to poor health outcomes
West Virginians United for Democracy (WV United)
Our Goal
A government that is accountable to the people of West Virginia, where every voice matters and every vote counts
Popular Demands
- Make voting easier
- Profits out of politics
- Transparency and accountability
- We protect us
Policy Priorities
Voting Rights and Participation
- End strict voter ID laws
- Automatic Voter Registration for all
- Expand early voting and no-excuse absentee voting
Government Accountability
- Strengthen ethics, transparency, and candidate reporting laws
- Protect the right to protest, organize, and advocate at every level of government
Economic Democracy
- Ensure public investments deliver public benefits
- Require transparency and accountability for corporations receiving public subsidies and tax breaks
- Prioritize policies that strengthen community control
