As the election looms, Monongalia County residents say West Virginia is at a tipping point. We went to Morgantown to hear more

MORGANTOWN – Some residents of Morgantown and the surrounding Monongalia County believe their community — and all of West Virginia — is at a tipping point.

In the lead-up to the 2024 elections, residents said they want to cut through candidates’ talking points to learn more about where they stand on the issues that matter to them and their Morgantown neighbors.

In many cases, West Virginians felt candidates are answering the wrong questions.

As the state’s population continues its long, steady decline, they asked: “What do you see as the future of West Virginia and how do we get there?”

As West Virginia’s young people leave for lack of opportunity and amid funding cuts to education, one attendee suggested putting this question to candidates: “Why shouldn’t people leave?”

Last Wednesday, Mountain State Spotlight met with a small group of likely voters in Morgantown and asked them: “What issues do you want to hear candidates talk about this election season?”

The event was part of our plan to put voters at the center of our election coverage .

Here’s what they told us:

Development and downtown

West Virginians across the state have said that housing is becoming increasingly unaffordable in their communities, and Morgantown is no different.

Attendees wanted to know how candidates would help the working poor afford housing.

They asked what candidates up and down the ballot would do about the dilapidated and sometimes dangerous buildings in their community and across the state.

And like elsewhere across the state , Morgantown residents are concerned about how their community tries to help their unhoused neighbors.

Environmental issues and ecotourism

West Virginia’s political leaders aggressively cling to coal amid a federal push toward renewable and alternative energies. And while the state has embraced its identity as an increasingly popular ecotourism destination, in many cases officials have neglected to care for the resources — like clean water — that drive the outdoor activity economy.

One resident pointed out that tourists won’t want to go whitewater rafting if polluted  water burns their skin.

Others wanted to know how candidates planned to attract businesses that don’t want to extract natural resources and value clean air and water. And for those extractive industries, like natural gas production, would public officials require them to fully restore the roads?

Education

West Virginia students continue to perform at levels below the national average , the state ranks among the least-educated states in the nation , and its schools have been underfunded .

When we asked readers earlier this year, we heard that they wanted to know about candidates’ plans for the education system, which is experiencing widespread staff shortages, more student behavior problems and declining enrollment.

Several of the people we met in Morgantown were university professors who had insight and concerns about the quality of education in West Virginia.

Attendees wanted to know more about what candidates would do to improve education in the state: What are their specific plans to recruit and retain teachers? Will they help students majoring in education pay for loans? How will they ensure students have the support they need before schools resort to suspensions?

When counties vote down levies, and state lawmakers reduce state revenue through tax cuts, how will public officials financially support struggling schools? And how will they make college accessible and attractive to young people, while also ensuring trade school options are available as well?

One attendee pondered how Monongalia County can successfully launch the ambitious Renaissance Academy STEM school amid teacher and bus driver shortages , and expressed frustration that no one seemed to be asking board of education candidates these questions.

Go beyond the talking points

Residents said that they see some candidates and their ads focused more on vilifying transgender youth than trying to improve West Virginia’s schools.

“It’s just missing the whole point about what’s wrong with the raising of children,” one attendee said about the ads. “None of those are being talked about. It’s all about whether or not a girl can play basketball with boys or a boy can play basketball with girls.”

Several others in attendance agreed.

“It’s a solution looking for a problem,” one group member said. “It’s ridiculous.”

“And they can divert from the real issues that we care about,” added another.

“It’s like dangling keys to distract.”

They then offered other topics they want to know candidate views on, like:

• How can voters know you’ll work with people of varying perspectives when politics has become so divisive?
• What will you do about young people and doctors leaving the state because abortion is prohibited?

There are many things Monongalia County residents said they love about their community: its friendliness, its diversity and inclusion; the frequent community events; the abundance of outdoor activities and chances to enjoy natural beauty; and West Virginia University, where important research results in real-world impact.

But they are also concerned about the future of their home.

To sum it up, one attendee asked of candidates, “How do they suppose to address the quality of life issues that are so important for where people want to start a business? Want to move? Want to bring their families? Everything they’re doing is driving more people out.”

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Share your thoughts on how we should cover the elections by helping to guide which questions we ask candidates and where we plan our reporting trips and listening sessions.

Duncan Slade contributed reporting.

Funding for this work is provided by the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, empowering world-changing work.

As the election looms, Monongalia County residents say West Virginia is at a tipping point. We went to Morgantown to hear more appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight , West Virginia's civic newsroom.