Charleston Gazette-Mail - The West Virginia legislative session reminds me of the Wild West. You never know what magic-show patent medicine will be hawked, or what bills will stampede through the committee corrals. Read the full op-ed. I own six horses. Any warm spell means it’s time to saddle up. But, before throwing a saddle…
Tax and Budget
The News-Herald - I’ve written many times about the concept; about the relationship between accountability and responsibility, for example. Read the full op-ed. Unfortunately, too often we need to use the word in tandem with the phrase “lack of.” Which is best exemplified by what we often see — or don’t see — from our…
West Virginia is one of very few states where revenue estimates are made by the governor alone. Official revenue estimates determine the total size of the state budget, and lawmakers cannot exceed the official estimates when funding state agencies and programs. Governor Justice’s administration seems to be exploiting that power by setting flat budgets year…
Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald-Dispatch, Williamson Daily News, Tax News Daily - The West Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill cutting personal income tax rates by 10% in a 76-20 vote on Friday. read the full article. House Bill 4007 now heads to the Senate. If passed into law as it currently reads, the bill…
The Dominion Post, Yahoo News - Feb. 10—We're running our weekly roundup a little early this week, and we'll mostly be focusing on the "good " and the "stupid " today. The "bad " will come tomorrow. Without further ado, let's take a look at what the Legislature has been up to. Read the full…
West Virginia MetroNews - Financial proposals circulating at the Statehouse could wind up collapsing under the weight of their own competition, through the restraints of federal guidelines or because of dawning fiscal reality. Read the full article. Gov. Jim Justice’s proposed pay raise of an average 5 percent for most state workers is the best…
Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald Dispatch - The West Virginia House Finance Committee passed a personal income tax repeal phase-out bill in about three minutes Monday, but the legislation still faces an uphill fight. Read the full article. With no discussion or questions asked of counsel, committee members passed House Bill 4007, which first would implement…
Last week the West Virginia Legislature introduced a bill to cut and eventually eliminate the state's personal income tax. This week, the House Finance Committee voted to advance that bill to the House floor with no discussion or questions asked. Like previous attempts to eliminate the state's income tax, HB 4007 would lead to major…
West Virginia MetroNews, Toys Matrix - Proposals to cut West Virginia’s personal income tax dominated last year’s regular legislative session, but no one could exactly agree on how to structure the cut. Read the full article. House Finance Chairman Eric Householder, R-Berkeley, is giving the income tax cut another try. He is the lead sponsor…
WOWK TV - On this week’s episode of Inside West Virginia Politics, co-hosts Mark Curtis and Amanda Barren talk to people about infrastructure, Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement, the annual Budget Breakfast, and Girl Scout cookies. Watch the full segment. In Segment One, Mark Curtis sits down with Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) to talk about the $6 billion that is coming to West Virginia.…