“With the Legislature back in session, it’s important that lawmakers focus on policies that will ignite our workforce and strengthen Main Street.”

Wheeling resident Gil White, National Federation of Independent Business West Virginia state director, was responding to news that small business job creation weakened nationwide in February.

“The ongoing worker shortage continues to impact West Virginia small business owners’ ability to serve their customers and grow their businesses,” he said. Data from the NFIB Jobs Report showed 38% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill, in February. A seasonally adjusted net 15% of owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months, down three points from January.

For jobs that are open, 89% of small businesses hiring or trying to hire report few or no qualified applicants.

These openings are for skilled and “unskilled” labor. (That’s the NFIB’s term, not ours.) And those available to fill the open jobs that are out there, are either unwilling to apply or don’t meet the requirements.

That is a multi-layered problem that won’t be solved by wasting time with bizarre political sycophantry, and destructive and backward socio-cultural pursuits.

What are the folks in Charleston doing for employers of all sizes in West Virginia? What are they doing for our workforce, and to strengthen the economies in our communities and state?

White is correct that they’ve got to focus on THOSE priorities, rather than the nonsense that year after year gives our younger generations and anyone who might be considering moving their business or family here reason to think twice about West Virginia.

We’re dealing with a worker shortage — not enough of the kinds of workers our state needs to propel its economy. Why on earth does it seem like some lawmakers are trying so hard to drive folks away.