Two Democrats running for the House of Delegates in the 13th District said they were upset with the direction the Legislature had taken since Republicans took control and said they would like to undo the right-to-work law and the repeal of the state's prevailing wage law that passed this year.
Scott Brewer, a carpenter and union representative from New Haven in Mason County, and Rosalee Juba-Plumley, a lawyer from Eleanor in Putnam County, are two of the four Democrats running for the two seats representing northern Putnam County, eastern Mason County and the western tip of Jackson County.
They spoke with Gazette-Mail editors on Tuesday. The two other Democratic candidates, George Thaxton and Marla "Dee" Ingels, did not respond to an invitation to attend. Republican candidates will meet with the Gazette-Mail on Wednesday.
Brewer and Juba-Plumley both said that right-to-work and prevailing wage repeal would result in lower wages for West Virginia workers. "I don't see how lowering wages is going to do anything for the economy of the state of West Virginia or its workers," Brewer said. "I just don't believe that we cut our way to prosperity."
Juba-Plumley described herself as a "progressive Democrat" and said that the state needs to invest in infrastructure - water, roads, sewer and Internet - to create jobs and help attract business.
She would look to "sin taxes" to increase revenue to fill the state budget gap and provide money for other priorities. That means not just the much discussed tobacco tax, but also an increased tax on alcohol and a tax on soda.
"There's not a single nutritionally good thing coming out of soda pop," she said. "If we have a sin tax and people have to pay a little extra for the things that are bad for them, that is one avenue for the PEIA shortfall."
Brewer would look at rejiggering the state's personal income tax brackets to raise revenue. Those brackets have not been changed in decades and have any couple making more than $60,000 paying the top tax rate.
"A family who reaches the income level of $60,000 paying the same tax level of a multi-millionaire seems a little out of whack to me," Brewer said. "I think we should maybe have another tax level for the ultra wealthy."
The two 13th District House seats are currently held by Republican Delegates Scott Cadle and Michael Ihle. Cadle is not running for re-election.
Brewer has raised nearly $15,000 for his campaign, much of it from unions, the most to date of any candidate in the 13th District race of either party.
Juba-Plumley reported raising less than $500.
She supports former U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin for governor, while Brewer declined to choose from among the three Democratic candidates, saying he would support the nominee.
Juba-Plumley emphasized the pressing need to find solutions to the state's opioid epidemic.
Five years ago, she said, about 5 percent of her family law practice concerned drug issues, while 20 percent of her criminal practice was addiction-related.
Today those numbers are 50 percent and 90 percent, she said.
She wants more money for the drug court system so it can be expanded to every county. Drug courts help non-violent drug offenders get treatment rather than be incarcerated.
She also pointed to the stalled Second Chance Employment Act as a missed chance for the Legislature to help those with criminal records from drugs.
Brewer advocated investments in higher education as a way to develop the workforce, which he said would have a beneficial effect on the drug epidemic.
"Something that will definitely help the drug problem is give people a meaningful job," Brewer said.
Reach David Gutman at david.gutman@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5119 or follow @davidlgutman on Twitter.