Weston Democrat - You’ve got to hand it to Gov. Jim Justice. The man is an excellent orator. He can make snake oil taste like champagne. Read the full article. In his State of the State address on Wednesday night, the governor touted the “West Virginia miracle” he believes he’s wrought during his time in…
Tax and Budget
The West Virginia legislative session began on Wednesday, February 10 and legislators have wasted no time rolling out their priority bills. Several bills with major fiscal impacts are being moved quickly, raising worries of whether lawmakers have had adequate time to thoroughly consider individual bills — much less to consider how the interaction of numerous…
Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald-Dispatch - The COVID-19 pandemic is a war we’re finally starting to win, at great cost. Read the full op-ed. After such wars, good governments step in with bold ideas and concrete programs to help heal and rebuild. Think of Britain’s “Homes Fit for Heroes” after World War I and America’s G.I.…
West Virginia MetroNews - A first bill aimed at refining the governor’s emergency powers is headed for a vote in the House of Delegates. Read the full article. For months, lawmakers have been watching Gov. Jim Justice’s use of CARES Act relief funding. West Virginia received $1.25 billion in federal relief, and Gov. Jim Justice…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - When Republicans announce their faith in a plan to stimulate the economy, it is wise to tighten the grip on one’s wallet. Read the full op-ed. Presently, West Virginia’s GOP governor and the party’s legislative supermajority tell us that eliminating our personal income tax will cause 400,000 people in other states to…
Mountain State Spotlight - This week, state lawmakers return to the Capitol for the first legislative session since the beginning of a pandemic that has so far claimed the lives of 2,150 West Virginians. Read the full article. The Republican majority’s priorities include tax cuts that would favor richer West Virginians and charter schools. Less clear:…
Public News Service - Some of West Virginia's lawmakers are proposing abolishing the state's personal income tax during this year's legislative session, and social-services advocates say the move would be devastating for children and families. Read the full article. Jim McKay, state coordinator for Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia, said the lost income would total…
Charleston Gazette-Mail - I have some questions for the West Virginia Legislature regarding its plans to get rid of the state income tax. Read the full op-ed. Have our roads or Public Employee Insurance Agency been fixed? I’ve not heard any rationale for terminating our income tax. What is it and who really benefits? We…
West Virginia MetroNews - West Virginia political leaders agree they’re interested in phasing out the state’s personal income tax, but just a few days before the annual legislative session begins no one is saying how. Read the full article. “As for the absolute details on the personal income tax, not yet,” said Senate President Craig…
Eliminating the Income Tax and Raising the Sales Tax Would Worsen Racial Inequality in West Virginia
Historic and present-day injustices, both in public policy and in society more broadly, have resulted in vast disparities in income across race and ethnicity in West Virginia. And West Virginia's upside down tax system does little to address those disparities. The average income of white families is 53.7 percent higher than that of Black families…