Tax and Budget

March 8, 2021 by Kelly Allen
Governor Goes Off on State Spending Restrictions Built into Latest Federal Relief Bill

West Virginia MetroNews - Gov. Jim Justice isn’t happy about about some restrictions for how states can use federal relief built into the plan passed by the U.S. Senate. Read the full article. “It’s all about just petty nothing,” Justice said today. “That’s the only reason that got written in there.” The $1.9 trillion federal relief package…

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March 5, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
What Would Removing the Income Tax do to Prices in West Virginia?

WOWK, News Break - On Inside West Virginia Politics, Sean O'Leary, with the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, says the governor's proposed plan to eliminate the state's income tax "is not going to be a winner for West Virginia" as it is now. Watch the full segment. He says raising sales taxes will…

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March 4, 2021 by WVCBP
Justice Income Tax Plan: Big Cuts, but with Big Tax Hikes

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald-Dispatch - Gov. Jim Justice on Thursday unveiled the long-awaited details of his proposal to cut the state personal income tax — a plan that would use more than $900 million a year in tax hikes to partially offset a $1.07 billion reduction in income tax revenue. Read the full article. Justice,…

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March 2, 2021 by Kelly Allen, Sean O'Leary
With Significant Tax Reform on the Table, Lawmakers Lack Complete Picture of WV’s Future Budget Needs

It’s now been almost four months since Governor Justice announced that his top priority for the 2021 West Virginia legislative session would be eliminating the personal income tax. But despite the time elapsed, we’ve yet to see a plan put to paper. That’s likely because it’s really difficult to eliminate the state’s largest source of…

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March 1, 2021 by Kelly Allen
Justice Sees Flaws in Senate Tax Plan, and He Wishes Somebody had Looped Him in

West Virginia MetroNews - Gov. Jim Justice says he likes some aspects of a new Senate tax plan and really dislikes several others: fewer business groups “pulling the rope,” the loss of rebate checks for lower-income residents and reinstitution of the food tax. Read the full article. And the governor wishes someone had taken just…

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March 1, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
W.Va. Senate Creates New Income Tax Elimination Bill Adding New Taxes

WCHS - The West Virginia Senate's version of the House's income tax reduction bill narrowly cleared committee Tuesday. Read the full article. It adds $800-900 million in tax increases, raising the sales tax to 8.5% and reestablishing a 2.5% food tax. "It could be a huge economic stimulus for our state, a huge spur of population growth…

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