Home Rule

West Virginia has one of the most centralized governments in the country. That's why Bridgeport, Charleston, Huntington and Wheeling jumped at the chance to join a five-year "home rule" pilot project.

As The Associated Press reports, "Bridgeport can now participate in public school projects, increase some licensing fees and issue its own tax increment financing. Huntington can impose an occupational tax and Charleston, a health-care provider tax, among other things. Those two cities and Wheeling also were given greater flexibility to address dilapidated property."

Public Broadcasting also highlights (with audio) the experiment granting these cities modest additional powers.

Further details about their communities' approach to home rule come from the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington, The Intelligencer of Wheeling and The Charleston Gazette.