Tax and Budget

May 5, 2023 by Sean O'Leary
Days Are Numbered For State’s Severance Tax Windfall, Expert Says

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - Higher coal and natural gas prices, and higher demand for both generated a severance tax windfall that fattened the state’s budget surplus last year. But the prices for both fossil fuels have declined in recent months.  Read the full article. Sean O’Leary, senior policy analyst for the West Virginia Center…

Read More
May 4, 2023 by Sean O'Leary
Predicting West Virginia’s Budget This West Virginia Morning

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - On this West Virginia Morning, higher coal and natural gas prices, alongside higher demand for both fossil fuels, generated a severance tax windfall that fattened the state’s budget surplus last year. But the prices for both fossil fuels have declined in recent months.  Listen to the full segment. Sean O’Leary, senior policy…

Read More
May 3, 2023 by Sean O'Leary
Setting State Revenue Estimates Subject Of Debate

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - West Virginia’s annual budget is based on revenue estimates that come from the governor’s office. The budget surplus comes from taxes collected above those revenue estimates. How those estimated amounts are determined garners differing points of view. Listen to the full segment. Sean O’Leary is the senior policy analyst at…

Read More
May 2, 2023 by Sean O'Leary
Gov. Jim Justice Calls April Revenue Collection Historic

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Coal Valley News - Gov. Jim Justice announced this week the largest single-month surplus in West Virginia history. Read the full article. During an announcement Monday at the Capitol, the governor said West Virginia’s general revenue collection for April 2023 was $319 million above estimates, marking the largest single-month surplus in state history.…

Read More
April 18, 2023 by WVCBP
New Report Provides FY 2024 Budget Details, Examines 2023 Tax Cuts and Their Consequences

For Immediate Release: April 18, 2023 Contact: Renee Alves, 559-916-5939 Charleston, WV – During the 2023 West Virginia legislative session, lawmakers had the opportunity to use available revenues to address longstanding needs like ensuring PEIA and Medicaid solvency, filling crisis-level staffing vacancies across state agencies, or increasing investments in neglected areas like higher education and child care. But instead,…

Read More
April 18, 2023 by Sean O'Leary
How Tax Cuts for the Rich Trumped Public Investments: The West Virginia Fiscal Year 2024 Budget

Overview During the 2023 West Virginia legislative session, lawmakers had the opportunity to use available revenues to address longstanding needs like ensuring PEIA and Medicaid solvency, filling crisis-level staffing vacancies across state agencies, or increasing investments in neglected areas like higher education and child care. But instead, the FY 2024 budget debate was dominated by…

Read More
April 10, 2023 by Sean O'Leary
Mountain State Spotlight Explains: Why West Virginia’s Reliance on Volatile Severance Taxes is Problematic

Mountain State Spotlight, Fayette Tribune - For months, West Virginia lawmakers have said one thing repeatedly: the state has more than $1 billion in budget surplus. And when you look at the numbers, that’s largely thanks to the severance tax.  Read the full article. That trend continued last week, as Gov. Jim Justice announced that the state…

Read More
March 17, 2023 by Kelly Allen
West Virginia Gov Signs Budget, Raises, Insurance Changes

Associated Press, US News, CBS News, WDTV - West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a $4.87 billion budget Friday for the next fiscal year along with bills giving pay raises to public employees and making changes to their insurance program. Read the full article. The relatively flat budget compared with past years includes 34 items…

Read More
March 16, 2023 by Kelly Allen
Justice Signs Budget Bill, State Employee Pay Increase, PEIA Bill

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald-Dispatch - The state budget, a pay raise for government employees and a fix for the Public Employees Insurance Agency were among four bills signed into law Friday by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice. Read the full article. The budget presented in House Bill 2024 totals $4.874 billion and includes 34 surplus appropriations, Justice…

Read More