Hardy County Delivers On Transparency

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Schetrom for Delegate Campaign 540-333-1784 steven.schetrom@gmail.com www.schetromforwestvirginia.com Steven Schetrom Announces Candidacy for West Virginia House of Delegates – 86th District Hardy County, WV – Steven Schetrom today announced his candidacy for the West Virginia House of Delegates, seeking to represent the 86th District in the 2026 election. Schetrom brings proven leadership experience and a strong record of service as a member of the Hardy County Commission, where he has served since 2021. “West Virginia stands at a critical moment,” Schetrom said. “We have tremendous potential for growth, new jobs, and expanded opportunity—especially here in the Eastern Panhandle. I’m running for the House of Delegates to be a strong, practical voice for our communities and to help ensure that our region remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.” During his time as Hardy County Commissioner, Schetrom has focused on responsible budgeting, strengthening local infrastructure, and improving public services. He has worked closely with businesses, community organizations, and local leaders to encourage economic development while protecting the values and quality of life that define the region. “As a County Commissioner, I’ve had the opportunity to tackle real challenges—balancing budgets, improving emergency services, supporting local employers, and planning for the future of our county,” Schetrom said. “That hands-on experience has given me a deep understanding of how state decisions directly affect our communities. I’m ready to take that experience to Charleston on behalf of the people of the 86th District.” Schetrom emphasized that his campaign will focus on three core priorities: Growth: Supporting policies that attract new investment and encourage small business development. Jobs: Expanding workforce opportunities and strengthening partnerships between education and industry. Opportunity: Ensuring families and young people can build successful futures right here in West Virginia. “I believe in practical, common-sense solutions,” Schetrom added. “Our state’s future depends on creating an environment where businesses can thrive, workers can succeed, and communities can grow. That’s exactly what I will work to deliver as your Delegate.” A longtime resident of Hardy County, Schetrom is active in local civic and community organizations and has been a strong advocate for regional cooperation and economic progress. He and his family are deeply rooted in the area and committed to its continued success. The 86th District includes communities throughout Hardy and Pendleton Counties. Schetrom said he looks forward to traveling the district in the months ahead to listen to voters and share his vision for the future.  For more information about Steven Schetrom’s campaign for House of Delegates, please contact the campaign at 540-333-1784/steven.schetrom@gmail.com or visit www.schetromforwestvirginia.com.

Emergency Services Organizations in West Virginia work very hard to make sure their departments are well funded. This is an ongoing process, that requires extraordinary effort from local jurisdictions. One current issue being debated in this 86th Legislature is how to allocate the 1% insurance premium tax that was allocated to local fire departments in the 1980s. The issue arises because, following this allocation, because of the underfunded teacher retirement fund in the state, local fire departments have only been receiving 55% of that original 1% allocation. This solution provides each fire company in West Virginia about $50,000 annually from this funding source. The teacher retirement fund has now been brought to solvency over time through the allocation of 45% of the 1% of insurance premium tax funding that was originally promised to local fire departments. In deciding how to allocate the roughly $38 million coming through this funding source, current legislation proposes increasing the allocation for fire departments to 77.5% of the insurance premium tax money, with EMS companies receiving the 22.5% balance. This would amount to a roughly $6,000 annual increase for each fire department in the state. There are about 420 fire departments in West Virginia. The total number of EMS companies comes to about 250. With both fire departments and EMS companies increasingly being stretched to secure resources to provide services within their jurisdictions, this is an important issue facing this legislature.