Tax and Budget

February 22, 2024 by Kelly Allen
West Virginia House OKs Bill to Phase Out Social Security Tax

AP News, US News, Parkersburg News and Sentinel, CBS News - West Virginia’s Republican-led House of Delegates approved a bill Thursday that would cut and gradually phase out the state income tax on Social Security benefits. Read the full article. Eliminating the tax is a key priority for GOP Gov. Jim Justice, who announced it…

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February 19, 2024 by Sean O'Leary
Inside the West Virginia Governor’s Little-known Fund: Disaster Relief, Sports Complexes and Race Car Drivers

Mountain State Spotlight - In Logan County, an outdoor theater production got $7,000 for new lights. In Kenova, $21,150 went towards paving the library’s parking lot. In the Eastern Panhandle, Berkeley County received around $150,000 for park and baseball field improvements. And just 10 miles from the Capitol, the Kanawha County Commission will use $1…

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February 14, 2024 by Sean O'Leary
WV’s Revenue Tax Gap Grows as Changes Phase In

Spirit of Jefferson - After five years of flat budgets, lawmakers returned to Charleston for the 2024 legislative session with many important spending priorities to address major needs. Members of the Republican majority have said they want to provide pay raises for public employees and raise starting salaries in sectors with vacancies, increase provider reimbursement…

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February 8, 2024 by Kelly Allen
A Conversation On Tax Revenues From Coal, Natural Gas

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - On this episode of The Legislature Today, higher demand for coal and natural gas, as well as higher prices, produced a severance tax windfall for the state over the past few years. But prices have fallen, and with it, tax revenues. Listen to the full segment. To get a better idea…

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February 6, 2024 by Sean O'Leary
West Virginia’s Revenue Gap Grows to $378 Million as Tax Changes and Their Impacts Continue to Phase In

After five years of flat budgets, lawmakers returned to Charleston for the 2024 legislative session with many important spending priorities to address major needs. Members of the Republican majority have said they want to provide pay raises for public employees and raise starting salaries in sectors with vacancies, increase provider reimbursement rates, and address child…

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February 2, 2024 by Kelly Allen
This Tech Titan Wants to Turn West Virginia Into a ‘Start-Up State’

New York Times - John Chambers grew up in West Virginia and went on to run what was once the world’s most valuable company, the computer networking firm Cisco Systems Inc. Now he is trying to help economically lagging West Virginia by making it a “start-up state” akin to Israel, which has been called the start-up nation.…

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January 29, 2024 by Sean O'Leary
FY 2025 Budget Overview

Earlier this month, the Governor unveiled his proposed FY 2025 budget, which is now in the hands of the Legislature to review, amend, and pass. Proposed and enacted tax cuts continue to crowd out long-needed spending priorities in Governor Justice's budget, which once again relies on one-time surplus revenue that will likely soon dry up…

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January 29, 2024 by Sean O'Leary
Balancing the State Budget on Inside West Virginia Politics

WOWK - On this week’s episode of Inside West Virginia Politics, we talk about the budget, the Charleston State of the City address, the roadblocks to Governor Justice’s budget proposal and Charleston’s Restaurant Week. Watch the full segment. In Segment One, we talk to West Virginia District 1 Representative Carol Miller (R) about how she…

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January 29, 2024 by Kelly Allen
Budgets, Taxes And Clean Energy Jobs On This West Virginia Morning

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - On this West Virginia Morning, state lawmakers are mulling over countless tax proposals that would directly affect West Virginians and their wallets. On Friday’s episode of The Legislature Today, Randy Yohe spoke with House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, and Kelly Allen, the executive director at the West Virginia Center on Budget &…

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January 26, 2024 by Kelly Allen
A Talk Of Budgets And Taxes

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - On this episode of The Legislature Today, lawmakers are mulling over countless tax proposals that would directly affect West Virginians and their wallets. Randy Yohe sat down with Kelly Allen, the executive director at the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, and House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, to discuss budgets…

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