Salem University requests to remain exempt from B&O tax
In his statement, Weber said that the university brings 'substantial and ongoing economic benefits to the area. From job creation to student and visitor spending, we contribute significantly to the local economy in ways that ripple far beyond our camp borders.'
Salem is a private university.
2 West Virginia communities continue battle with Corridor H
Salem's Mayor Brandie Garner released a statement to 12 News in response to the university president's request, stating that because the university is for-profit, it should be charged a B&O tax.
Currently the University is exempted from B&O by ordinance. However, since they are for profit they should be charged B&O tax. This was found while going through our ordinances. For now we are allowing the attorneys to work out the interpretation of the law. At that time we will revisit the ordinance. Salem University is a huge part of the history of Salem, and I look forward to working together for the betterment of the community for many years to come. I'm grateful for President Weber's letter. It has opened up a meaningful dialogue about collaboration and future opportunities
Both the university and the mayor said they want to work together to find a suitable solution.
Salem University's full statement can be found below:
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12 hours ago
- Yahoo
'A bold step forward': FAMU officially opens Venom Landing residence hall. See inside.
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2 days ago
- Forbes
Is AI The Scapegoat Employers Use To Explain Technology Layoffs?
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Again, AI is the cover for cost-cutting. In the longer term, AI may make onboarding juniors less necessary, not just less desirable. Many entry-level tasks have become automatable—documentation, bug fixing, testing—undermining the value proposition of junior hires. In other words, AI has changed the ROI (return on investment) equation on entry-level hiring, reinforcing its direct impact on layoffs. There is an inherent paradox here –the entry level tasks can serve as low stakes 'learning by doing' tasks, and with these tasks gone, it is not clear how to get the workers the intangible skills they need for training and eventual advancement.' The market clearing wage now is not $165,000 All the factors discussed above lead to a lower market clearing wage for tech workers. But wage expectations are still pegged to older numbers. Graduates now know what their peers in big tech earn. Accepting a wage that is significantly less than what a peer might make at a big tech firm is a bitter ego pill to swallow although the market clearing wage now for their skill level is only $75,000 at a mainstream firm. New graduates feel that they are underpaid and are hence perpetually dissatisfied. No employer wants to hire someone who is perpetually unhappy about being with the firm. Garud counters, 'while expectations may rise due to transparency, this alone may not be able to explain widespread layoffs. Dissatisfied workers can be managed through culture and HR. Layoffs are financial decisions. Firms may be choosing AI tools over junior hires because they reduce onboarding and payroll costs—not because workers are too picky. Rather than admit that they're unwilling to meet higher salary expectations, firms find it easier to say: 'we don't need as many people thanks to AI.' 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On top of that, under-employed software engineers are more likely than others to venture out on their own and create start-ups. This is a risky endeavor for sure. But one of the new 100 startups that the surplus engineers create may become the next OpenAI. Mainstream non-tech firms can also pick up talented tech workers at a reasonable cost. This is not to say that AI will not lead to layoffs in the future. All I argue that is the current narrative is arguably overblown. CEOs need to villainize someone or something to justify layoffs to the remaining workers in the firm. AI serves as the perfect excuse for now. I'll let Garud have the last word: 'I agree that for many firms, AI has not yet replaced actual workflows or jobs—at least not at scale. Instead, it is used symbolically: to impress investors, manage employee morale, and justify corporate restructuring. The perception of AI outpaces its practical deployment. AI becomes the perfect non-human scapegoat: it's inevitable, it doesn't sue, it doesn't organize, and it doesn't tarnish the brand. CEOs can point to AI as an 'external force of change,' instead of taking accountability for strategic missteps, bad acquisitions, or investor appeasement. Just as 'globalization' and 'automation' were buzzwords used to justify offshoring and restructuring in previous decades, 'AI' has become today's universal rationale. But many of the forces driving layoffs - overcapacity, labor arbitrage, cost control, macroeconomic hesitation - are neither new nor AI-specific. AI may be a convenient explanation—but it's not an inaccurate one. The real economic pressure from AI adoption is already being felt across industries. CEOs may be citing AI not merely deflecting blame, they are likely pointing to a genuine shift in labor needs brought on by new capabilities. Unless we plan ahead, AI might truly become the villain.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
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