Board announces run for State Senate District 13 – WV MetroNews

FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Fairmont resident Jonathan Board announced plans to run for the 13th District State Senate seat currently held by Democrat Mike Caputo during Friday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”

Caputo announced this week that he will not seek reelection next year.

Board is vice president of external affairs at Mon Health and also the Region 4 Representative to the West Virginia First Foundation, the organization designated to distribute nearly $1 billion in opioid settlement money. Personally, Board is a lifelong, third-generation resident of Marion County, married with four children, and comes from a family that worked on education freedom issues. Board also spent time in Washington, D.C., working on veterans’ medical issues.

“It’s a space again that I don’t think you can ever fully divest yourself from; you have to be involved in this space if you want to drive good things and certainly economic development forward,” the Board said.

Board said Marion County has a great deal of untapped potential due to its location, resources, and educational assets. The Marion Regional Development Corp. is growing, and there are plans for a transportation research campus in the future. Currently, the 400-acre I-79 Technology Park has about 30 federal government businesses, more than 1,000 employees, and direct interstate access.

“A lot of people see that as a pass-through area along the I-79 corridor and up to I-68, but we have developing towns and cities with access to support like never before,” Board said. “This district needs a strong, unified voice in the majority party, and that’s what we aim to give it.”

Board said economic development is a priority, but with more ownership from state officials when large sums of tax money are used as incentives. Incentives are important, but the board wants to provide the tools that create success when combined with hard work.

“We don’t pick winners and losers with the people’s money,” Board said. “So let’s be clear: there is no greater driver of economic growth than free and open markets for everyone, not just the chosen few.”

The last few years have been dominated by great news about new companies coming to the state and bringing investments and jobs. Board would like to see state support for businesses broaden enough to consider organic growth opportunities with established West Virginia companies or new West Virginia-based endeavors.

“Certainly we don’t want to overlook the mom-and-pop shops that have been around for a long time in these communities; we’ve got to support them as well,” the board said. “So, I think it has to be really broad, and we’ve got to be open to different things other than just throwing money around.”

On the polarization of government, the Board said that’s not really the reality. He contends that 80 percent of all issues deal with issues important to the daily lives of taxpayers, and most politicians are in agreement that those should be priorities. When that progress is made, politicians should then be obligated to work out differences and reach compromises on the remaining issues.

“We have to do the work of the people first; we’ve got to focus on that 80 percent that needs to get done, and we’ll take that first,” the board said. “Then we’ll absolutely have these other conversations.”