(Editorial - Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

If Gov. Patrick Morrisey is looking for a West Virginia comeback, it’s a good indication he understands the struggle has been overwhelming for far too long and hope is still hard to come by for too many Mountain State residents.

But during his State of the State address Wednesday, Morrisey was determined to focus on “a West Virginia we can be proud of,” for our children and grandchildren.

As he rightly pointed out, that means being honest about the fact that many in our state are still struggling to make ends meet. They are dealing with “sky-rocketing grocery bills, crushing health care costs and out-of-control energy bills.”

It’s hard for any elected official to resist listing constituents’ concerns and then claim “we are going to fix them.” But Morrisey’s optimism should be contagious, as there is no doubt he and lawmakers MUST work toward fixing the issues West Virginians really want them to address.

(Truly, the socio-cultural nonsense does nothing but distract and set us back from our goals. Lawmakers who just can’t help themselves should be ashamed of their inability to stay focused on what matters.)

On one subject, Morrisey and lawmakers will have to tread carefully. The governor said he believes data centers/microgrids could generate tens of billions of dollars. But the Ohio River Valley Institute reported recently on data centers in Pennsylvania. One writer’s analysis called them “highly capital-intensive, non-labor intensive enterprises that create few jobs and inject little money into host communities.”

Citing a report from Duquesne Light, the utility that serves the Pittsburgh area, the writer said the need for new electricity-generating capacity caused by data center growth will cost Pennsylvania ratepayers $2.18 billion in 2026. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission received an economic impact study last spring that showed in 2023 the data center industry directly contributed $1.36 billion in state and local tax revenue. The industry contributed approximately $340 million LESS in tax revenue than what Pennsylvania ratepayers are spending on their higher electric bills.

Further, consulting firm PwC found that in 2023 data centers employed 18,270 Pennsylvania workers. In 2024, that figure was 15,525. The number, already a fraction of a percent of jobs in the state, is decreasing.

In terms of strengthening our economy, Morrisey may be better off focusing on some of the other facets of his and the legislature’s plans.

That must be where the focus remains: jobs, the economy, our health, our children’s education and improving quality of life.

“The future we are shaping is one where families can thrive, workers can succeed, and businesses can grow … Where our kids and our grandkids have the opportunity to achieve big dreams, right here in West Virginia,” Morrisey said.

Good. Now, let’s be honest about what is required to reach it and keep our eyes firmly on that goal.

It’s time to get to work.