| Summary | |
| West Virginia’s Progress and Upcoming Election | |
| Richard and William Ridenour discussed the current state of West Virginia and the upcoming election. William, a retired marine and Defense Intelligence Officer, is running for re-election as the delegate for District 100. He emphasized the need for West Virginia to continue moving in the right direction, with a focus on workforce participation and attracting more businesses to the state. William also expressed his support for Patrick Morrissey as the next governor of West Virginia. | |
| Addressing Low Workforce Participation in WV | |
| William and Richard discussed the issue of low workforce participation in West Virginia. William highlighted that about 45% of the population could be working but are not, and suggested that this is partly due to the current unemployment mechanisms where you can work for six months and be off for six months and taxation structure. He also mentioned the need to address licensing requirements and regulations to facilitate people working within the economic system. Many people are working “off the books” at jobs such as handyman jobs. Richard agreed with William’s points and added that the fact that 50% of births in West Virginia are outside of marriage is a major driver of societal issues, including workforce participation. Both agreed on the importance of stable family structures for society and the economy. | |
| Property Tax Assessments and Tax Reduction Strategies | |
| Richard and William discuss property tax assessments. Richard shares his experience of a significant increase in his property tax bill of 130% that he is challenging. William supports a cap on property tax increases. He also wants to abolish personal property taxes and reduce income taxes, but cautions that lowering taxes too much could void tax reciprocity agreements with neighboring states. William and Patrick Morrissey are exploring ways to reduce taxes without negative consequences. They also discuss the need for transparency in tax expenditures, with Richard expressing concern over the school excess levy (“The Levy” on the ballot) in Jefferson County. Both agree reducing taxes could benefit the economy and workforce participation. | |
| Jefferson County Impact Fees and Political Matters | |
| William and Richard discussed the impact fees in Jefferson County and their allocation to schools. They also debated the projected decline in enrollments and the potential for an increase due to the construction of thousands of housing units. The conversation shifted to political matters, with William introducing a bill aimed at preventing the outcome of a presidential election from being determined by assassination or political prosecutions. He emphasized the importance of ensuring a free and fair election and holding both parties to nonpartisan standards. Richard agreed with William’s points. | |
| Vetoed Vaccination Choice Bill and Ballot Security | |
| Richard and William discussed the lack of progress on giving medical freedom and vaccination choice bill and the Governor’s veto of the vaccination choice bill that the WV House and Senate passed. William expressed outrage at the veto, noting the state’s outlier stance on exemptions. Richard mentioned a court win in Mississippi forcing Mississippi to offer religious exemptions. They discussed the need for preemptive vaccination choice legislation, based on the likelihood that West Virginia will also be challenged in court as Mississippi was. William was disappointed with the Governor’s veto despite public support. They questioned ballot security and discussed using paper ballots. William committed to checking on the use of Clarity Voting for election reporting by West Virginia and if it opens up any vulnerabilities. William also plans to push for investigating the state national Covid response. | |
| Discussing Pandemics, Vaccine Concerns, and State Involvement | |
| William and Richard discussed the origins and lessons learned from past pandemics, emphasizing the need for preparedness for any future pandemic declaration. In the 2024 legislative session a bill was passed that does restrict mandates by the Governor. But William said that more can be done to improve on this bill. They also expressed concerns about the harm caused by Covid vaccines, with William sharing personal experiences of family members who died after receiving the vaccine. They agreed that the State government should not be pushing these vaccines on citizens and that there should be restrictions on the ability of State-supported entities to promote them. They also noted that the State government is the largest employer in West Virginia. | |
| Improving Public Education and Family Structures | |
| Richard and William discussed various issues related to public education and family structures. William emphasized the need for a better public school system and advocated for school choice, including the Hope Scholarship, to improve competition and ultimately benefit public schools. Richard agreed, adding that the breakdown of discipline in classrooms is a significant issue, which he believes is linked to the breakdown of families. Both agreed on the importance of traditional family structures and the need to re-establish them. Legislation has been passed recently to address disruptive students in classrooms. | |
| Advancing West Virginia’s Culture and Economy | |
| William expressed his commitment to advancing West Virginia’s culture and economy, focusing on attracting businesses and protecting farmland. He wants to work toward having an environment where our children can stay here and work here in West Virginia. He wants to help our economy grow around the state. William is also working to help protect our farms, along with Secretary of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt. He discussed that he helped pass drought relief legislation and his opposition to large-scale solar installations and windmills, citing concerns about property values and potential environmental contamination. William also highlighted the need to protect tourism, a primary industry in Jefferson County, and his plans to increase the bond required for solar companies to ensure cleanup responsibilities if they go bankrupt. He emphasized the importance of considering the long-term effects of solar installations on the environment and the state’s economy. West Virginia could be sued for pollution and run off into the Shenandoah River, and ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. | |
| Candidate website: billridenour.com | |
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