UMVA has learned that a simmering economic "brawl" between Virginia and West Virginia is escalating, with the Mountain State's governor, Patrick Morrisey, taking aim at the Old Dominion's workforce and businesses.
A proposed "affordability agenda" by Virginia's government, led by Governor Abigail Spanberger, has been met with a counterattack from West Virginia, which is aggressively courting businesses and residents with promises of lower taxes and fewer regulations.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, Morrisey pledged to take his pitch directly into Virginia communities, including Loudoun County, to lure businesses and workers into West Virginia.
"We're going to be spending some time in Loudoun County and all across Virginia on making the pitch and the comparison of the direction that West Virginia is moving in [and] the direction Virginia is going in," Morrisey said, highlighting his state's newly unveiled commercial tax district, which he claimed will bring $200 million in economic investment to the Eastern Panhandle region.
The area, home to West Virginia's thriving apple industry and major industrial plants, including a Clorox facility, is seen as a prime target for Morrisey's economic development efforts.
"While Virginia chooses to burden its citizens and job creators with higher taxes, West Virginia is choosing freedom, fiscal responsibility, and a tax climate that makes our state more competitive for business than our neighbor," Morrisey declared, touting his state's GOP-led government's efforts to make West Virginia "open for business."
Meanwhile, Spanberger has announced her own economic development tour of Virginia, promising to promote "bringing people together to shape a clear, forward-looking plan" – a move seen by some as an attempt to counter West Virginia's aggressive recruitment efforts.
As the two states engage in a high-stakes economic battle, West Virginia's governor is confident that his state's combination of tax cuts and business-friendly policies will attract businesses and residents from Virginia and beyond.
With a focus on creating a "travel destination" and hubs for youth sporting events, Morrisey hopes to capitalize on the influx of new residents and businesses, generating even more financial benefits for West Virginians.
