VOTE FOR VANNOY: SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS SHOULD NOT BE TAXED BY THE STATE

     It may come as a shock, but West Virginia taxes social security benefits. West Virginia is one of only four states in the USA that taxes social security benefits without any exemptions, at the same level as the federal government. To quote the CNN article below, the federal government taxes Social Security benefits like this,

     "In 1983, Congress enacted an amendment to the Social Security program allowing the Internal Revenue Service to tax up to 50% of the benefits of individuals earning more than $25,000 a year and couples with more than $32,000 in earned income. A second amendment was added in 1993 that further expanded what benefits were taxable. Up to 50% of a retirees’ Social Security benefits become taxable with earned income of $25,000 to $31,999 for an individual, and $32,000 to $43,999 for joint filers. Earned income above these amounts would allow for up to 85% of a Social Security recipients’ benefits to being taxed." 

     In my opinion, Senior citizens should not have to pay taxes on Social Security benefits. Seniors have a hard enough time making ends meet as it is, the government should not be making life any more difficult for some of our most vulnerable citizens. In 2017, the West Virginia State House of Delegates voted to exempt social security benefits for those who make up to one hundred thousand dollars. I think Social security benefits should not be taxed at all, but I still would have compromised and voted for the bill. The West Virginia State Senate did not pass the legislation however, and the Social Security tax exemption did not become law, see the PBS article listed below for more.

     According to the WVnews.com article below, eliminating state taxes on Social Security benefits would cost the state 24 million dollars. Helping our senior citizens make ends meet is well worth the cost. They were working and paying taxes while the rest of us were still children, they helped to build the world around us. Now, we have an opportunity to help them. I say we exempt Social Security benefits from state income taxes.

     Exempting Social Security benefits will also make West Virginia a more popular place to retire, and may convince people to stay in our state when they reach retirement age. West Virginians leaving our state is an old problem, and exempting social security benefits may help convince people to stay. West Virginia is one of only four states that tax Social Security benefits the same way the federal government does. That's a list we should not be on.

     Some of the 24 million dollars that is used to give Seniors this tax break, will come back to the state. Most of the money saved by seniors will be spent right in our communities for groceries, gas, any sort of sales, and sales tax from that will be collected.

     There are ways, without raising taxes on anyone, that West Virginia can make the money back. One interesting way I heard about this week, is legalizing sports betting in our state. If legalized, it is estimated that sports betting can bring in millions of dollars a year. Federally, sports betting is illegal, but that may change soon. See the West Virginia metro news article below for more. There are other ways we can raise money, legalizing recreational marijuana, removing the final restrictions to hunting on Sundays, etc. etc. West Virginia can make this money up, it just takes creativity and the courage to implement.

      Its time for West Virginia to stand up for our senior citizens, and give them the tax break they deserve. Vote for me, Roger Vannoy, in the Democratic primary on May 8th, and the general election in November, and I'll vote to exempt Social Security benefits from income tax in the West Virginia House of Delegates.









http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/04/08/does-my-state-tax-social-security-benefits.html

http://time.com/money/4502741/social-security-state-taxes/

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/west-virginia/articles/2017-05-19/west-virginia-house-backs-alternative-tax-overhaul

https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/house-democrats-unveil-legislative-priorities/article_e80d4fdd-8064-5ff5-a0b2-168de0d482e4.html

http://wvmetronews.com/2018/01/25/west-virginia-lottery-pushing-legalizing-of-sports-betting-in-wv/

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/west-virginia/articles/2017-06-21/west-virginia-governor-wont-sign-budget-amid-tax-impasse

http://wvpublic.org/post/wva-legislature-passes-budget-cuts-no-tax-increases#stream/0

VOTE FOR VANNOY: AFL-CIO SURVEY RESPONSES/ESSAY

     As a candidate for political office, I have received my first survey from a group that is looking to endorse candidates. That survey is from the AFL-CIO, and I would really like to have their endorsement. Their questions are pertinent to today's economic condition, and I thought I would share my essay/responses with you, the voter/reader, as you may find these issues important as well.

WHY THE AFL-CIO SHOULD ENDORSE ME, ROGER VANNOY, IN THE 2018 ELECTION FOR THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, 42ND DISTRICT
 
     My name is Roger Vannoy, I’m a father of two, a husband, a Marine veteran and an RN. I work 8 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. My wife works as a contracted state employee in Greenbrier county as a Sanitarian. My mother was a teacher and member of AFT. My brother is also a teacher and member of AFT. My father was a construction worker.

     I see, on a personal level, how the working class is struggling here in West Virginia. The minimum wage is so low, some people think its not worth it to work a minimum wage job. Maybe that’s why West Virginia only has a 53 percent labor force participation rate. Teachers and state employees year after year have more money taken from them because PEIA charges more and covers less. Correctional officers in West Virginia work a hazardous job, for the least amount of pay for their profession in the country. All while the Republican controlled West Virginia state legislature continues to give tax breaks to the wealthy and to corporations.

    If elected to office, I would support repealing the “right to work” legislation, as its really a right to bust unions legislation. I would support reinstating “prevailing wage.” My mother will tell you, when Dad had a prevailing wage job, things were financially a little easier. I would support increasing the minimum wage to 10 dollars an hour. The West Virginia center on budget and policy states that 10 dollars an hour is the very lowest a wage can go and still be considered a living wage. A minimum wage increase would assist 124 thousand West Virginian’s make ends meet. I would support fully funding PEIA, giving teachers and state employees a pay raise and increasing COLA benefits for retirees.

     I would not, however, support “Buy American only” legislation to essentially require the purchase of American made goods with tax payer dollars. If the USA were to enact these kinds of laws, other countries like Canada (whom West Virginia does a lot of business with), Mexico, the European Union, etc. etc will enact similar laws against us. This legislation would create a trade war, a war which America loses. There are more people to sell to outside of the USA than in it. We should be creating trade deals that make going to other countries to manufacture goods less appealing to companies. Trade deals that eliminate child labor in sweatshops, and create workers rights in countries where there are none.

     In conclusion, I hope that you, the AFL-CIO are able to endorse me in the Democratic primary for West Virginia’s state house of delegates 42nd district.  Thank you for considering endorsing me as a candidate,


Next, these are my answers to their questionnaire.

Question 1. Would you support or oppose repealing the Workplace Freedom Act, also known as "right to work"?

     Answer: I would support repealing "right to work."

Question 2. Would you support or oppose reinstating the Prevailing Wage for workers on publicly funded construction projects?

     Answer: I would support reinstating Prevailing Wage. Prevailing wage is a pay scale that respects tradesmen (Masons, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc.) by paying them a wage that equals their skills. These men and women work hard at their jobs, and their skills are needed in our society, and should be valued.

Question 3. Would you support or oppose increasing the safety requirements for West Virginia workers, in particular strengthening coal mine safety standards?

     Answer: I would support increasing safety requirements. My brother in law is a coal miner, and periodically, so is one of my nephews. I absolutely would support legislation that would keep them safe.

Question 4. Would you support or oppose the enactment of the strongest possible "Buy American" and "Buy local" legislation to essentially require the purchase of American made goods with tax payer dollars?

     Answer: I would not, support “Buy American only” legislation. See the essay below for more details.

Question 5A. Would you support or oppose pay raises for West Virginia teachers and state employees (including corrections and state police officers)?

     Answer: I would support pay raises for Teachers and state employees.

Question 5B. Would you support fully funding the Public Employee Insurance Agency (PEIA)?

     Answer: I would support fully funding PEIA.

Question 5C. Would you support or oppose providing a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for retired public employees?

     Answer: I would support increasing COLA for retired public employees.
 

     In summary, I believe that these issues raised by the AFL-CIO are important. Except for the one issue, I believe the AFL-CIO and I are in lock step with one another. I hope thats not going cause me to lose their endorsement. I believe in these issues, and I want to see them come to fruition. That's why its important that all West Virginians vote this year. I'am absolutely willing to compromise with the opposing side, but the more Democrats that are elected, the less I will have to compromise. Step one is finding the funds to increase wages, fund PEIA and increase COLA for retirees. If we want to do that by increasing taxes on the wealthy, then the West Virginia state legislature is going to have to be brimming with Democrats. That seems to be an unlikely scenario. Whats more likely is we are going to have to come up with creative solutions to our lack of revenue that both sides can compromise on. Legalizing recreational marijuana can bring in some much needed dollars, as can legalizing sports betting. Making Sunday fully available to hunters during hunting season, instead of just on private property, can make West Virginia a much more attractive place for hunters and their dollars. Compromise will be paramount in accomplishing these tasks. I hope that the AFL-CIO will endorse me, and I hope that you will vote for me, in the West Virginia Democratic primary for the state house of delegates 42nd district on May 8th.

VOTE FOR VANNOY: PUB QUIZ HOME EDITION!

   

     This last Thursday night, my wife and I hosted Pub Quiz as a way of getting my name and priorities as a candidate out to the people. I hope after the night of trivia, more people are considering voting for me, Roger Vannoy, in the West Virginia State House of Delegates district 42 Democratic primary. I hope more people are willing to vote for me because they believe in our ideas to make West Virginia better. It was a lot of fun, going to the Irish Pub on Washington Street always is (thanks to that establishment for allowing me to host trivia!). Now, I want to share with you, my readers, my rounds of trivia! (My wife had sections, but they were audio identification of cartoon theme songs, and famous songs by their unique exclamations). The questions will come first, and after that the answers.

Trivia ROUND ONE

     I believe that the state and federal governments can have a positive impact on people's lives, but they need the money to run all of our favorite programs. Programs like Medicaid, public education, PEIA, etc. etc. That's why I believe West Virginia should LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA!

1. True or False: Marijuana is carcinogen free.

2. True or False Smoking Marijuana is not safe for Pregnant women.

3. States that have passed Medical Marijuana laws have seen their percentage of opioid overdose deaths drop by %____on average.

A %13.2
B %14.8
C %6.5
D %24.8

4. After Colorado legalized recreational Marijuana, opioid overdose deaths dropped by what percentage?

A %13.2
B %14.8
C %6.5  
D %24.8

5. After legalizing recreational Marijuana in July of 2017, Nevada has seen an additional ____ million dollars in state tax revenue?

A. 40 million dollars
B. 35 million dollars
C. 10 million dollars
D. 20 million dollars

6. In 2015, how many full time jobs did recreational marijuana create in Colorado?

A. 50 thousand
B. 18 thousand
C. 25 thousand
D. 30 thousand

7. True or False: Decriminalization and legalization of marijuana mean the same thing.

8. According to the Washington Post estimates, in 2016, how many Americans were arrested for marijuana related crimes only?

A. 587,000
B. 110,000
C. 313,000
D. 5,000

9. What percentage of Americans support the legalization of marijuana?

A. 64%
B. 51%
C. 35%
D. 23%  

10. True or False If elected to the West Virginia State House of Delegates, Roger Vannoy would work for the legalization of recreational marijuana?





Answers to round 1:

1. Answer: False. Marijuana smoke contains Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, which are carcinogenic. In fact, marijuana second hand smoke has a bigger concentration of PAH than tobacco second hand smoke. We had a discussion on this one during Pub quiz, people were wanting a separation between marijuana smoke and other forms. I'm trying to point out that marijuana is not completely safe, regardless of route, but I see now that my source only concerns marijuana smoke. So, retroactively, everyone from Pub quiz gets a point for this question, due to the poor design of the question. 

2. True. According to studies on pregnant animals, marijuana may inhibit neural development.

3. D. Via the NIH.

4. C.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/10/16/legal-marijuana-is-saving-lives-in-colorado-study-finds/?utm_term=.ade59486af1d

5. D. https://www.forbes.com/sites/monazhang/2017/12/26/nevadas-recreational-marijuana-market-hits-38m-soars-past-colorado/#1541ca754f94

6. B. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/10/27/the-marijuana-industry-created-over-18000-new-jobs-in-colorado-last-year/?utm_term=.e72c4be4bdd9

7. False. Decriminalizing means you wont be arrested for having small amounts of Marijuana, but may face a fine. Legalization means you face no penalty at all. It also means new industry and tax revenue.

https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/06/economist-explains-10

8. A. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/09/26/more-people-were-arrested-last-year-over-pot-than-for-murder-rape-aggravated-assault-and-robbery-combined/?utm_term=.4cd5d681848b

9. A. http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/25/politics/marijuana-legalization-republicans-poll/index.html

10. True. Source: me.

Trivia ROUND 2: After we legalize recreational marijuana, West Virginia will have more state tax revenue (assuming the Republican politicians don't repeal the state income tax as they tried to do in 2017). The question now is, what to do with that money? Which brings us to our next category, WAGES.

1. What is the current minimum wage in West Virginia?

A. $8.75/hour 

B. $7.50/hour

C. $5.25/hour

D. $10.10/hour

2. How many people, employed in West Virginia, would benefit from a minimum wage increase?

A. 55,000

B. 78,000

C. 124,000 

D. 30,000

3. What would be considered a “living wage” for a single adult by the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy?

A. $8.75/hour

B. $10.00/hour 

C. $9.00/hour

D. $9.50/hour

4. What is the starting salary for West Virginia correctional officers?

A. $24,600 

B. $30,300

C. $40,800

D. $35,900

5. What is the starting salary for Virginia correctional officers?

A. $40,000

B. $38,000

C. $31,000 

D. $20,000

6. How many vacancies are there for correctional officers in West Virginia at this time?

A. 100

B. 200

C. 300 

D. 400  

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=262&year=2018&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill

Call your state Senator in support of Senate Bill 262 which will give State correctional officers a pay raise, increasing by 6,000 dollars a year over a three year period.

Senator Stephen Baldwin: (304) 357-7959

Senator Kenny Mann: (304) 357-7849

7. What is the starting salary for West Virginia teachers? 

A. $38,000

B. $33,000 

C. $22,500

West Virginia’s average salary is 45 thousand dollars a year, which ranks 46th nationally.

8. What is the average salary for Virginia Teachers?

A. $45,800 dollars/year

B. $42,100 dollars/year

C. $65,300 dollars/year

D. $50,800 dollars/year 

FYI New York ranks number 1 with 79 thousand dollars a year, and South Dakota ranks 51 with 42 thousand dollars per year.

9. What is the current unemployment rate for West Virginia?

A. 4%

B. 5% 

C. 6%

D. 7% 

10. Yes or NO: If Roger Vannoy were elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates, would he work to raise the minimum wage, and increase Teacher and Correctional officer salaries?

ANSWERS TO ROUND 2.

1. A

2. C. http://www.herald-dispatch.com/business/report-many-wv-jobs-don-t-pay-living-wage/article_fd4c79b9-f7c7-5508-ae5c-e5b930288f3d.html

3. B

4. A. http://wvmetronews.com/2017/07/27/correctional-officers-to-get-pay-hike-beginning-in-september/

5. C

6. C  https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/gazette_opinion/op_ed_commentaries/james-elam-a-correctional-officer-s-take-on-fixing-the/article_ee23023f-a692-5b5e-a309-f0da702052b9.html

http://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2018/01/bill-would-raise-west-virginia-corrections-officer-pay-6000/

7. B  https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/education/wv-teachers-call-for-more-than-a-percent-raise/article_aebb16da-443c-5345-ab07-495e55b8e1ce.html

8. D  http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/2017_Rankings_and_Estimates_Report-FINAL-SECURED.pdf

9. B   http://wvpublic.org/post/unemployment-rates-rise-all-55-west-virginia-counties#stream/0

10 Yes (source: me)

ROUND 3: I didn't want to continue putting my crowd to sleep with statistics, so I had a round based on my culture, NERD CULTURE!

1. Name the seven Captains from any one of the Star Trek series. A point for each one you name!

2. Who wrote “Slaughterhouse five” and “Cat's Cradle”?

3. What is Thor’s last name?

4. In the comic books, the Avengers did not originally include this character. Which character was their first recruit?

Bonus point if you can name this characters secret identity.

Bonus point number 2 if you can list all the original Avengers. A point for each.

5. Name the main character from “the Walking Dead.”

Bonus point if you can name the creator of "the Walking Dead." 

6. In Irish mythology, what does a Banshee’s scream signify?

7. Which International soccer/football team has won 5 FIFA World Cups?

8. Which Steven Spielberg movie, coming out this March, will have all these famous characters/vehicles included on screen

The DeLorean from “Back to the future”

Chuckie the doll

The Iron Giant

King Kong

The Joker

9. In the “Game of Thrones” TV series, which character is “The King in the North?”

10. In the Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy, what does the number “42” represent?  

Answers to Round 3:

1. Captain Kirk

Captain Picard

Captain Sisko

Captain Janeway

Captain Archer

Captain Lorca

Captain Pike

2. Kurt Vonnegut

3. Odinson

4. Captain America, his sort of secret identity is Steve Rogers. The original Avengers consisted of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-man and Wasp.

5. Rick Grimes. Creator: Robert Kirkman

6. A Banshee's scream signifies that someone is about to die.

7. Brazil

8. Ready player one

9. Jon Snow

10. The ultimate question, to life, the Universe, everything.

THANKS FOR PLAYING OUR GAME!

FYI. The Primary election will be held on May 8th 2018.

Early voting is from April 25th through May 5th. 

If you are not registered to vote, go to the WV Secretary of State's office website, and get registered to vote!

SOS.WV.GOV

VOTE FOR VANNOY!

Here I'am grading pub quiz answers.

VOTE FOR VANNOY: MLK MARCH THROUGH LEWISBURG, WV

     Today, I participated in the 35th Martin Luther King day celebration in Lewisburg, West Virginia. The theme this year is "Our lives begin to end, the day we become silent about the things that matter." Which is a line from Dr. King's "I have a dream speech." There were many speakers, including our town Mayor, John Manchester, the pastor of one of our local churches, Larryette Ellis, and others. The organizes of the march fed everyone. There was a choir that sang wonderfully, and children from local elementary schools read their essays on Dr. King. Going along with the theme of the March, I want to speak up about injustice.

     I'm sure a good deal of Americans know the names Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and Philando Castile. All three were African Americans, and all three were murdered. The final sad similarity is that all three went without justice, because all three of their killers are free today. These are just three examples of African Americans going without justice. Sadly, we have here in West Virginia, a case that is very like these three examples. On the 21st of November 2016, James Means, a 15 year old African American male, was murdered on the streets of Charleston, WV. James was shot once in the chest, fell to the ground, got up to run away and was shot once in the back, by 62 year old, Caucasian William Pulliam, a man with a history of violence. After the shooting, Pulliam said "that's one more piece of trash off of the street." William Pulliam's trial is set to begin on January 29th of this year. I hope that West Virginia will give James Means the justice he deserves. I hope that we will not join the growing number of states that did not provide justice for African American victims of these crimes. It may have happened before, but this injustice needs to stop here and now. For more on the murder of James Means and the trial of William Pulliam, use any one of the the web sites listed below.

     How did we get here, to a place, where the murder of African Americans, goes unpunished? I don't think I can say. What I can say is that I think we as a society, need to change the way we act and speak about other races and cultures. Having a school named after a Confederate General (Stonewall Jackson Middle school in West Virginia) or known KKK member (Nathan B. Forrest High School in Florida. The name has been changed) sends a confusing message to the students that go to that school. There are quite of few schools named after such men. Follow the mother Jones web address below for a map of such schools. What I can also say, is that there shouldn't be statues of Confederate soldiers or Confederate politicians outside of a graveyard, museum or battleground. These symbols make it look like the USA still supports these men and their cause, which is enslavement of the African American. These symbols send mixed messages to our populace, and we need to correct that message. These statues do speak of history yes, but they belong in a museum. There is ample American history that we can all celebrate. Neil Armstrong landing on the moon, Jesse Owens Olympic victory in Nazi Berlin, Audie Murphy the most decorated soldier in World War 2, Chuck Yeager, the first man to break the sound barrier, the list goes on forever.

     To paraphrase Clint Eastwood in "Heartbreak ridge", "when we start looking like a society that believes in racial equality and justice, soon we'll start feeling like a society that believes in racial equality and justice, and then we will start to behave like a society that believes in racial equality and justice."
   












http://wvmetronews.com/2016/12/01/two-revelations-in-james-means-slaying-case/

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/gazette_opinion/op_ed_commentaries/paula-kaufman-remembering-james-means-gazette/article_0109de1b-dc23-5892-86ab-8a75529de896.html

http://wvpublic.org/post/us-them-killing-james-means#stream/0

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/cops_and_courts/man-who-allegedly-shot-teenager-in-east-end-set-to/article_19f5767a-689e-51fe-92dd-af1219eae34e.html

http://wvmetronews.com/2017/11/22/anniversary-of-teens-death-focus-of-charleston-event/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2013/12/16/school-named-after-kkk-grand-wizard-to-be-renamed-finally/?utm_term=.3e21104f679e

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/07/public-schools-racist-confederate-names/
 

VOTE FOR VANNOY, CAMPAIGN WEEK 2 RECAP, CALL TO ACTION!

     Its been another interesting week running for office. I set up my facebook/twitter page for my campaign. Thats "Roger Vannoy for WV House of Delegates district 42" on facebook, and on Twitter, its "@VannoyforWV." I also went to Beckley, WV to protest the Tax reform bill that is working its way through the US Congress. In case you haven't heard, its a tax break for all, but mostly for the wealthy. It will end up costing the US budget 1.5 trillion dollars and it will strip the ACA of its mandate, making the ACA unaffordable to many citizens. Millions of Americans could lose their health insurance. Also the Childrens Health Insurance Program (C.H.I.P.) was not reauthorized after it expired on September 30th. 9 million American children rely on C.H.I.P. for their health care, and Congress hasnt re-authorized it, because Congress isnt sure how to pay for the program. Which means that the Republican controlled U.S. Congress is perfectly willing to give money that we dont have to the wealthy, but funding C.H.I.P. is unaffordable. Its nice to know where their priorities are. So, I went to protest in Beckley with Womens March West Virginia, outside the offices of my Republican congressman, and my Republican Senator. It was good to exercise my freedom of speech in this manner. If enough of the American population were to speak out on these issues, maybe the final version of this tragic bill wont pass, and maybe C.H.I.P. could be re-authorized.

     Also this week, I spoke with the owner/operators of the Irish Pub on Washington Street, and they have agreed to allow my campaign to host a trivia night. I'll have categories that are about important issues for West Virginia and some pop culture and general trivia categories. It will be January 25th and if you are able, come on out and have some fun. Also, bring canned food, if you can. We will make a donation to the local food pantry afterwards.

    That was the second week of my campaign, I look forward to the third. If you are an American citizen, and are concerned about the state of healthcare in our country, if you dont think our government is doing enough to lift its citizens out of poverty, if you feel that our politicians are more worried about giving money to the wealthy than actually helping our citizens, as I do, then I urge you to run for office as well. America needs you.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/12/18/16792702/health-care-questions-tax-bill-answered

VOTE FOR VANNOY, CAMPAIGN WEEK 1 RECAP. FIRED UP! READY TO GO!

     I made my announcement last week that I was running for the West Virginia House of Delegates district 42 seat, and, the level of support and interest I received was overwhelming. Thank you to everyone who had a kind word of support and expressed interest. My blog tells me how many people read my posts. If I write a blog about any particular issue, I can hope for 50 views. I think with those 50 views, perhaps I showed some of my readers a view they haven't thought of before. Maybe I motivated someone to write to their congressman about a particular issue. My announcement blog has gotten well over a thousand views. I don't think that all of these people are excited about me running for office. Some are, and again, thank you. I wont let you down. Most, I think, are like me and are fed up with how our state and federal government is being run. I had a hunch that more people than ever are considering running for office, and wanted to see what I, or anyone, has to say about running for office. Turns out, it looks like I'm right. According to the VOX article below, there are 391 Democratic challengers running for the US House of Representatives who have raised at least 5 thousand dollars. There isn't a mid term year that even compares to this according to the article. I think Democrats are very excited for the 2018 election, and are putting their money where their mouth is. In my own election, there will be, I believe at least 4 people running in the Democratic primary for the 2 potential seats from the 42nd district. Last year, there was only one Democrat who ran. Democrats in 2017 are......... FIRED UP! READY TO GO! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AhRqg0ADbk&t=45s

    On Sunday, my wife and I went to the Greenbrier County Democratic Executive Committee's annual Christmas party at Hill and Holler, a local restaurant. Where I met a lot of great people. Fellow Democrats who are ready to take back our country and state from the Republicans who only seem to work for the very wealthy. The Democrats at this party were excited to take back our country and state from the Republican politicians who put tax breaks for the wealthy over any kind of standard of decency.

    While there I spoke with State Senator Stephen Baldwin who is running for re-election for West Virginia's 10th Senatorial district. Stephen is a preacher, all round nice guy and wants to improve quality of life for West Virginians. Here's a quote from his ballotopedia page

• Ten years from now, I envision a state that is in the Top 10 for quality of life indicators. Our citizens are healthier because parents are not smoking around their children, we're choosing to exercise and eat well, & drugs are no longer the path of least resistance. Our population is educated because we enacted major reforms to put our dollars in classrooms to pay teachers significantly higher salaries and rebuild smaller community-based schools with health centers. This is truly the key to changing quality of life. When we build our human capital, as social scientists call it, we are primed for growth and development. Our economy is stable because it is diverse, buoyed by new small businesses in backyards and town shops. Our families are together because the kids no longer have to leave the state to find meaningful work. Our business climate is booming because companies want their employees to live, work, & play in Almost Heaven. A high quality of life leads to happier people who produce at higher levels for better pay. And all the while, the quaint West Virginia we all love with outdoor activities and starry skies is still available for us to enjoy...a little more sweetly now.

Senator Baldwin sponsored bills that would establish a Earned Income Tax Credit for low wage earners, reestablish the prevailing wage for skilled workers, to exempt industrial hemp from being classified as a schedule 1 drug, as wells as many more that you can look at by following the address https://ballotpedia.org/Stephen_Baldwin_Jr.
 or
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Senate1/lawmaker.cfm?member=Senator%20Baldwin


    While at the Greenbrier County Democratic executive committees Christmas party, I also met Huntington's mayor, Steve Williams, who is running for West Virginia's third Congressional district. The Mayor also has previous experience in the West Virginia State House of Delegates. He wants to diversify Southern West Virginia's economy, he states that Coal will always be important in West Virginia, but diversification is key. In April, Huntington won Americas best communities competition (https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/huntington-wins-million-for-urban-development/article_a98dee60-de0e-535f-85f4-90c24944b534.html), which provided Huntington with 3 million dollars for city revitalization. To read the Mayor's announcement, use the address below. I think the Mayor likes this quote, as he uses it in the opening of the video address below "Make no little plans, they have no magic to stir mens blood." In the video, the Mayor speaks of what he will do with the three million dollars that Huntington has won. Watch it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tHrIxcEY8g

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/politics/huntington-mayor-steve-williams-to-run-for-congress/article_d28801b2-3ad4-5d7b-8ba3-4d9590b97a12.html


    While speaking with some of the Democrats there, I learned about Act blue, a fundraising website for Democrats and the left. I haven't set up an account yet, but plan to. I also learned about campaign strategy, and there may be a campaign strategy class coming up. Which I will gladly go to.

    I also spoke with the Democratic candidate for West Virginia's third congressional district in 2016, Matt Detch. He is a 2nd Lieutenant in the National Guard now, and I want to take this opportunity to say congratulations to Matt, and to say thank you for your service.


    Thats all for now, I plan to continue these blog updates through the campaign. I know I'm going to stay FIRED UP! READY TO GO! You should too.






https://www.vox.com/2017/12/11/16748716/chart-democrats-2018-midterms-elections

https://mountainmessenger.com/baldwin-announces-candidacy-wv-house/

VOTE FOR VANNOY IN 2018

        West Virginia is my home. It has been all my life, including when I was in the Marines for four years. I remember wherever I went in the service, I always missed the Appalachian mountains. I've been home for 14 years now, and West Virginia has been going through some tough times. The opioid crisis, the 2016 floods, the continual budget cuts, a nearly non-existent middle class, a coal industry that is doing marginally better but far from its peak, only four states pay teachers less at a time when we desperately need the most educated work force that we can have, we have a teacher shortage in our state topping 700 unfilled positions, in-state college education costs continue to climb, WV cant keep state employees because the pay is low, etc. etc. I wouldn't mind so much, that we had these problems, but it seems our Republican led state legislature has no interest in fixing any issue, other than getting rid of state income taxes. One year they reduce taxes, the next the year, the Republican leadership declares we don't have enough money, act surprised, and then cut budgets. Then they do it again. This past session in 2017 the Republican leadership in the state Legislature wanted to do away with the state income tax. That would have been devastating for the state of West Virginia. It would have given a tax break to the wealthy and would have increased taxes on everyone else. I have good news, there is an election in 2018, and we can make a change in leadership. The Republican leadership, Senator Carmichael in the state Senate and Speaker of the house Tim Armistead, have failed. They've had their chance, and they have failed to help the people of our state. Its time for new leadership, new voices with new ideas. Its time to elect a new generation of Democrats, and I have some ideas that I think can help, and may appeal to both Democrats and Republicans.

           

1.  We need to make the WV state budget the priority. Each of the last two legislative sessions have taken longer than they should have, costing the WV tax payer 1.45 million dollars. The state legislature should be able to get a budget done on time. We need new leaders who understand that this level of waste is a terrible thing.

2. WV's economy needs a boost. Our opioid epidemic continues. Recreational Marijuana can help with both. Colorado brought in an additional 150 million dollars in taxes on their more than 1 billion dollars in sales of legal marijuana in 2016. Legalizing marijuana has also lead to a decreased number of opioid deaths in Colorado. If the state legislature wont approve recreational marijuana, then there should be a referendum on the 2020 ballot. Let the people of WV decide.

3. Make hunting legal on Sundays just as it is the rest of the week. During the last session, hunting on private property was legalized on Sunday, but I think we can do more. This would help WV capitalize on hunting tourism to the tune of millions of dollars, and would help to reduce the deer population, which may help reduce car insurance in our state. I know that sounds strange, but its true. According to the state farm address below, WV is the state in which you are most likely to hit a deer, causing car insurance to go up.

4. WV should reduce income taxes on the working class, and make up the lost revenue with increased taxes on the wealthy. Even a small reduction on income taxes for the working class would be a step in the right direction. A tax break for the working class goes right back into our economy. Enacting the Earned Income Tax Credit would benefit the working class nicely.

5. Increase WV's minimum wage to $10 an hour. 123,000 workers in the state of WV would benefit from a increase to the states minimum wage. That's a lot of families with more income. Imagine what that kind of boost could do for our economy?  Real WV families with more money to spend. 25 percent of workers in Greenbrier county are low wage earners. They need a raise.

6. WV should protect its Medicaid funding. Right now, the program is to be funded with Excess funds. Medicaid funding should be a priority, it should be protected. Real lives depend on Medicaid, and the way the legislature "funded" Medicaid in 2017 is risky. 560,000 West Virginians rely on Medicaid, the government should protect them.

7. If WV legalizes recreational Marijuana, if we legalize hunting on Sundays, if we reduce the waste by not having the State legislature in extra sessions, and perhaps if we raise taxes on the wealthy, we should give our teachers and state employees a raise. If you want the best education for our children, and we do, then you need to pay our teachers like they're the best. We may then cut into our Teacher shortage. If you want the best at any position, you have to pay the employee well. Thats common sense.

8. Reduced sales tax on guns with built in trigger locks. Using trigger locks makes guns safer around children, and will potentially help to protect from theft. It may increase gun sales as well. If residents of border states realize certain guns are cheaper in WV, gun sales could go up.

9. Gun safety needs to be taught in our schools. Even if thats something as simple as sending kids home with a set of instructions on what to do if they come across a gun on accident, or showing kids this video from the NRA on what to do if they find a gun on accident ( https://eddieeagle.nra.org/) or making the hunter safety education course mandatory to high school students. I think we as a society could do better with Gun safety education. About 6,000 children in the USA are treated for a gun related injury, and 21 percent of those are accidents. We can do better.

10. WV should look into planting trees on reclaimed mine sites. Reclaimed mine sites, from what I've seen, look like fields, without trees. Without the trees there is more rain runoff from the mountains. With more runoff, its more likely to flood. Never mind that trees take in carbon and produce oxygen. Trees help with flood prevention and mitigation.

     All of these ideas will help WV, but the most important idea that the WV state government needs to get on board with, is that compromise is key to governing effectively. Whenever either party has both sides of the legislature and the executive branch, they both think they can push through any idea that they want. Its not true. Governor Justice (R) has both the state house of delegates and the state Senate controlled by his fellow Republicans, but the Governor does not have a big legislative victory. The Governor dislikes the current budget so much that he refused to sign it. The only victory that he has attained was given to him by the people of WV, the roads bond. My fellow citizens, hyper-partisanship is not the way. To have a functioning government we all need to remember that compromising with others is necessary. Every day so many of us go to work, and work with others we may not always agree with, to complete our daily tasks. I'm ready to compromise with the other side for the greater good. So, in this upcoming election, vote for common sense interventions, vote for the candidate who is willing to compromise for the greater good, vote for me, Roger Vannoy. Democrat running for the house of delegates, 42 district in WV.


 

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/business/after-sunday-hunting-approvals-supporters-look-for-economic-benefits/article_6ff0c6cd-2c5b-54e0-8c59-16f7db27a21b.html

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/business/report-many-wv-jobs-don-t-pay-living-wage/article_fd4c79b9-f7c7-5508-ae5c-e5b930288f3d.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/10/16/legal-marijuana-is-saving-lives-in-colorado-study-finds/?utm_term=.2a52e412b1d0

http://fortune.com/2016/12/13/colorado-billion-legal-marijuana-sales/

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/custom/statehouse-beat-special-session-costs-and-golf-ethics/article_e729ebb6-fd60-5524-a5af-f58e86c0f6ca.html

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/lawmakers-extend-committee-deadline-on-revenue-bill/article_e8a1d43c-c663-59f7-8aef-56443e3379dd.html

http://wchstv.com/news/special-reports/waste-watch-how-much-is-special-session-costing-the-state

https://newsroom.statefarm.com/state-farm-releases-2016-deer-collision-data/#ciVmZPZkHEUgWCDo.97

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-business/20161112/after-sunday-hunting-approvals-supporters-look-for-economic-benefits

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/14/the-5-highest-and-lowest-paying-states-for-teachers-in-the-us.html

https://www.theet.com/prestoncountyjournal/news/higher-education-institutions-forgo-five-year-teaching-programs/article_053f03b3-1913-52c3-9e61-6b3d9b8b3596.html

http://lmi.workforcewv.org/DataRelease/CountyRelease.html

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/custom/gerald-spiegler-wv-missed-out-on-population-wage-growth-daily/article_aa1072b8-74bb-5059-9a13-01247a54fba6.html

http://www.wvpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/WVCBP_SOWWV2017-FINAL-.pdf