Tax and Budget
On Crossover Day, the West Virginia House of Delegates passed two bills that have the intended purpose of boosting coal production and putting coal miners back to work. Unfortunately, they chose to do so in a very ineffective and expensive way, through cuts and rebates to the severance tax. HB 3142 would cut the severance…
On Wednesday, the House Finance Committee originated HB 3137 that would reduce the state's five personal income tax rates by a half of a percentage point (0.5%) each time a newly created "personal income tax reduction fund" that is funded by online sales taxes and lottery revenues reaches a balance of $200 million. Since higher-income…
Making ends meet is a struggle for many West Virginians employed in lower-wage jobs. In fact, 23% of workers in West Virginia are employed in low-wage jobs and a quarter of those live in poverty. People working in their communities as daycare workers, restaurant servers, home health aides, administrative assistants, and many other lower-income jobs deserve to be able to…
On Tuesday, February 19, WVCBP Executive Director Ted Boettner presented this testimony to a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee urging members to reject calls for an Article V Convention of States to make amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Governor Jim Justice’s FY 2020 budget includes new spending initiatives and pay raises while avoiding spending cuts as the state’s financial situation shows signs of stability. While the FY 2020 budget is an improvement after years of budget cuts, it represents a missed opportunity to reverse the damage of past mistakes and invest in a…
For years some lawmakers have pushed for eliminating or greatly reducing property taxes on business personal property. The result could mean shifting tax responsibilities onto people, more reductions in vital services such as schools, or a combination of both. During the 2019 Legislative Session, there have been two proposals for a constitutional amendment to eliminate or…
In his State of the State address, Governor Jim Justice proposed the elimination of the personal income tax on Social Security income. Justice's proposal, S.B 342, would completely exclude Social Security benefits from the state income tax, similar to how the state treats military retirement income. While this is being touted as a "middle class"…
WVCBP Executive Director Ted Boettner presented his budget overview at the 6th annual Budget Breakfast. PDF of presentation.