On Dec. 12, I filed pre-candidacy papers to run for the West Virginia State Senate. The Shepherdstown Chronicle is graciously permitting me to continue this column.

The 16th Senatorial District covers all of Jefferson County and a bit less than half of Berkeley County. Senator Patricia Rucker (D-Jefferson) holds the seat now, and she’s running for re-election. She is being opposed in the Republican primary by Delegate Paul Espinosa (R-Jefferson). I will oppose the winner of that primary.

The West Virginia Senate has 34 members, representing 17 senatorial districts, which each have two senators. The senators serve four-year terms, and the elections are “staggered” (every two years one of the two seats is up for election). In any district covering more than one county, the two senators must reside in different counties. Two years ago, Jason Barrett (R-Berkeley) was elected to the other seat in the 16th District, and the seat up for election in 2024 must be occupied by a resident of Jefferson County.

There are a number of important questions that I believe have been ignored or decided poorly by the current Legislature. Here are some, and I encourage the voters to ask penetrating questions of me and whoever becomes my opponent.

The most fundamental decision made by the Legislature each year is the state budget (so says the state constitution). As former United States Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) often said, “budgeting is prioritizing.” The current Legislature has prioritized tax cuts for out-of-state corporations, rather than anything that benefits average West Virginians.

The most important policy area dealt with by the Legislature is public schools (again, the state constitution). Public school teachers are fleeing West Virginia for their economic lives; we must act now to staunch the bleeding. Ditto school service workers, human service caseworkers and other public employees.

We need clean air and clean water. Ohio recently won over $100 million from Chemours (formerly DuPont), which manufactured Teflon at its Washington Works near Parkersburg. Teflon was made from PFAS, a so-called “forever” chemical (it’s harmful for many years). But West Virginia absorbed most of Teflon’s pollution, and West Virginia hasn’t even filed suit. Folks shouldn’t have to purchase bottled water to be able to get a drink!

Our state has a law that effectively bans abortion. I voted against it, and polls show most West Virginians oppose it. In 2018, a statewide referendum permitting this ban passed by a razor-thin margin, but that was before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Opinion has been transformed since then, and we need another referendum.

When you buy a new vehicle (sedan, SUV, truck, tractor) most manufacturers refuse to give you the information necessary to repair it yourself or have it repaired by an independent repair shop. A “right to repair” law would correct this injustice.

I believe we should make it easier for people to vote. I support passing a law that would require every county of 35,000 in its population to have at least two early voting locations, and every county of at least 50,000 in its population to have three such locations.

John Doyle is a 26-year former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates. He can be reached at rjohndoyle@comcast.net.