Investment: Opportunity Zones can make a difference
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With the dust still settling from Tuesday's general election results, Gov. Patrick Morrisey gave us a reminder of the kind of work voters are hoping will be accomplished in our communities, as he announced the U.S. Department of the Treasury has certified 52 census tracts in West Virginia as Opportunity Zones.
The designation allows for federal tax incentives for eligible economic development investments in those zones. As he announced the newly designated zones, Morrisey's office appeared to give a nod to the importance of Wood County in any forward-looking statewide efforts, speaking with both Wood County Economic Development Executive Director Lindsey Piersol and Wood County Commissioner Blair Couch.
"We have a monumental 30.9-acre, 2.7-million-square-foot industrial riverfront site with direct rail, river, and I-77/US-50 access ripe for modern logistics and manufacturing, alongside historic downtown assets like 714 Market St. and Campbell Plaza," Piersol said. "This designation gives us the competitive edge to attract investment and catalyze our economy."
No doubt she's got several other properties in mind, too.
Meanwhile, Couch said "Hand-in-hand with the Wood County Development Authority, we all hope to see success and growth here in Wood County. We appreciate the governor's efforts for our community and state. We all look forward to a bright future here in West Virginia."
Indeed, we do.
Along with everything else that will look a little different at the start of 2027, let us hope these new designations mark the start of renewed effort from both Charleston and Washington, D.C., to focus on what it will take to attract the kind of investment that makes a difference for Mountain State families, with enough good-paying jobs to actually move the needle for our communities.