Not content with the recent $425 million in tax cuts passed in recent years, the legislature's attention has once again turned to the state's business personal property tax. The business personal property tax (sometimes short handedly referred to as the inventory tax) was the topic of the most recent Joint Select Committee on Tax Reform subcommittee…
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With the new Trump Administration's promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare), Congress is now considering partial repeal through the budget reconciliation process, to avoid a filibuster. The repeal maybe phased in over time, but no replacement plan has been defined. The budget reconciliation process only allows changes to components…
Jennifer Jett Prezkop writes, "West Virginia's financial situation is a precarious one at best," in her West Virginia Executive Magazine article. Read. WVCBP Executive Director Ted Boettner had this to say on the matter: "policymakers will need to address the revenue problems in order to improve the state's fiscal health and make much needed investments that…
Back in early May, President-Elect Donald Trump pledged to revive West Virginia's coal industry and some school officials in Boone County say they are counting on this to help them keep schools open and save jobs. While it doesn't need to be repeated here that this is highly unlikely (see here, here, here, and here), it…
West Virginians for Affordable Health Care is hosting U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell on Tuesday, November 22, at 11 a.m. on the campus of the University of Charleston. Register here. Secretary Burwell will talk with West Virginians who have benefitted from the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare). The event will be hosted in…
Lunch and Learn - November 9:Business Tax Cuts Haven't Delivered Jobs for West Virginia Business tax cuts have not kept their promise of bringing jobs to West Virginia. Why? Because state and local taxes don't play a major role when business leaders decide where to locate and expand their companies. Tax cuts do, however, damage…
Today, the state budget office released revenue collections for October which were $6.3 million below estimates. While personal income tax collections where $14 million above expectations, sales and use and corporate income taxes were down $13 million and $5 million, respectively. So far, the state's General Revenue Fund is down $87.4 million over the first…
Social Security continues to play vital role in reducing poverty in West Virginia. According to the latest Census data, in 2014-2015 there were approximately 318,000 West Virginians living in poverty, including 40,000 seniors. Without Social Security, 132,000 more West Virginians would live in poverty. Most people aged 65 and older receive the majority of their…
A report out this week shows that more U.S. children have health care coverage than ever. The numbers are especially good in West Virginia with less than 3 percent of the state's children lacking health insurance. WVCBP President Renate Pore says that's the lowest rate the state has ever had, thanks to the Children's…
Legislators solved last year's budget crisis primarily with one-time fixes like money from the Rainy Day Fund. While they did raise the tobacco tax, that was not enough to permanently fix the problem. With revenues continuing to come in below projections, it's likely to be a déjà vu budget situation during the 2017 Legislative Session.…