[lilylangtree]

WV needs more industry besides the overinflated state government centralized in Charleston. In December 2002 I read where the state government in Charleston was the only employer in the state to increase in workers. All other industries (few that they are) decreased--some significantly provided the companies are still business. Recently, I read where the state now wants to consolidate counties because of the low population.

[mountaineer]

State gubmint and Wal-Mart: the only employers hiring in W.Va., looks like!

[Timesink]

Recently, I read where the state now wants to consolidate counties because of the low population.

This would actually be a smart move, IMHO. The way the federal government and many big companies operate, they only see localities through the prism of "Metropolitan Statistical Areas", and right now the Huntington and Charleston metro areas are seen as two separate small MSAs (and small = bad in most cases), when in reality the whole Cabell-Putnam-Kanawha corridor (and surrounding counties) has been one big metro area with a sizable population for years now. If we made this 21st-century reality official, it would make the entire area much more attractive to business.

Besides, any plan that would take away three governments and replace them with one is an automatic Good Thing in my book.