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State Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, has spoken in support of Senate Bill 208 -- yet another attempt to attract and retain needed workers. This one would create a tax credit for physicians who choose to locate and practice in West Virginia.
Certainly, there is a need to pull out all the stops to address the dearth of health care workers in the Mountain State. Ideas such as this could help lead to continued growth in West Virginia.
"This would be one way that if a person comes back to the state, it may be an incentive enticing them to come back," Takubo said during a committee meeting, according to a report by WV MetroNews. "… Chances are (after the establishment of a medical practice) you've probably got a spouse, home, kids in school, et cetera, and good chance we keep them for life after that."
Those are excellent points.
Many people -- particularly high-income professionals -- are looking to live and work in states with advantageous tax climates. West Virginia has come a long way in the past year, and with more work being done, it could be conceivable that doctors practicing in neighboring states would move to West Virginia given the right circumstances.
Challenges such as the one Takubo is trying to address are precisely the kinds of issues West Virginia lawmakers should be tackling.
Even better, they should be working toward affecting change that would expand and diversify our economy, improve access to healthcare, housing and a good education for our families and encourage an attitude of working toward lifting all Mountain State residents.
SB 208 may be worth a try, and lawmakers should give it serious consideration. They must also consider ways to continue building a better West Virginia for all.