Take me Home, Country Roads

Are you adventurous and tired of living where you are currently living? Consider moving to West Virginia - because they will pay you to be there. You read that right. Move to West Virginia, and they will pay you a total of $12,000. On April 12 of this year, Governor Jim Justice announced a program, Ascend WV, that "will allow adventurers to enjoy world-class recreation, uncrowded spaces, and a low cost of living while staying fully connected to their jobs." After more than a year of work from home due to COVID, some companies are allowing employees to work from home permanently and those persons are desirable for West Virginia. The work from home orders due to COVID have opened up some industries to having employees work from home permanently where working remotely may not have been considered before - for example healthcare.

The $12,000 that West Virginia is offering will be paid over two years, with $10,000 divided in monthly payments for the first year and $2,000 paid at the end of the second year, according to the program's website. The program also includes a year's worth of free outdoor recreation, bringing the total value to $20,000, again according to the program's website. That includes a year of access to activities such as whitewater rafting and downhill skiing, as well as two years of free outdoor gear rentals, such as camping gear or paddle-boarding equipment. Applicants must be 18 or older with a full-time remote job at a company located outside of West Virginia. The first three host cities are Shepherdstown, Lewisburg, and Morgantown.

That's not the only reason West Virginia is in the news. Governor Jim Justice announced this month that they are willing to give anyone between the ages of 16 and 35 who get vaccinated a $100 savings bond. There are roughly 380,000 West Virginians in that age group, and Governor Justice said he hoped the money would motivate the rest to get inoculated, as "they're not taking the vaccines as fast as we'd like them to take them."

But wait, there's more! If you don't hear the mountain mama calling for you yet, maybe they can lure you with guns and ammo. No, they are not free; however, Governor Justice signed a bill removing the sales tax on gun and ammunition purchases across his state. Yes, that was also this month, specifically April 8th. While also pleasing the people, this type of legislature should also draw in small arms and ammunition manufacturers. Relocating sounds good, right?