WVCBP in the News

March 3, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
One Percent Sales Tax Increase Could Fix State Roads

WDTV - Many of you tell us over and over again you're upset with some of the road conditions in our state. Read/Watch Now lawmakers are working to try to get those roads fixed, but it could come at the expense of higher sales taxes. One of the pieces of Senate Bill 555 would increase…

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March 3, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
WV Senate Passes Tax, Fee Hikes for Roads

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Transport Topics - Legislation to increase highways funding by more than $290 million a year — primarily through increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent — is headed to a West Virginia House of Delegates that has proven adverse to tax hikes. ReadHowever, Mike Clowser, of the state Contractors…

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March 3, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
WV Coal Sector Seeks Tax Breaks in Order to Compete

The State Journal - As the coal market continues to crumble, the West Virginia coal sector is jumping at any opportunity it can find to give itself a competitive advantage. However, industry leaders fear they'll ultimately need more than the state might be willing to give them in order to survive. ReadOne small stepIn what's…

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March 2, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
Tomblin Opposes Further Coal, Gas Tax Cuts

Charleston Gazette-Mail - Having already removed the "excess" severance tax on the coal and gas industries, the West Virginia Senate wants to give even larger tax cuts to the extractive industries, potentially blowing a massive hole in the 2018 state budget.The bill (SB 705) passed a procedural barrier on a party-line vote, 18-16 on Monday.…

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February 26, 2016 by WVCBP
Center Criticizes Tax Cuts

Wheeling Intelligencer - Bad legislators, the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy chided a few days ago. Read Why, there wouldn't have been a state budget crisis had lawmakers during a period of several years not made the horrible mistake the center cited: Cutting taxes. Heck, if lawmakers starting about a decade ago hadn't…

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February 24, 2016 by Ted Boettner
Senate Votes for Constitutional Convention of the States

Beckley Register-Herald, Bluefield Daily Telegraph - The State Senate voted Tuesday to join five other states in demanding Congress call a Constitutional Convention of States, "limited to proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government and limit…

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February 22, 2016 by Ted Boettner
Public Policy Group’s Report Draws Mixed Views from Area Lawmakers

Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram - Area lawmakers have mixed reactions to a public policy research group's call to raise "sin" taxes, close loopholes in the sales tax and eliminate greyhound breeding subsidies. ReadLawmakers said they agree with some of the recommendations in the report by the West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy, but not all of…

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February 19, 2016 by Ted Boettner
Gazette editorial: An $847 Million Crisis

Charleston Gazette-Mail - So far in the 2016 session, conservative legislators have wasted most of their time on gay-hating, pistol-carrying and other far-right topics, while doing little about West Virginia's partly self-induced financial crisis. ReadThanks mostly to huge business tax cuts in the past, plus decline of the coal industry, the state government lacks $381…

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February 18, 2016 by Ted Boettner
SGA Opposes State Cuts to Higher Education

Daily Athenaeum - With state budget cuts looming, the West Virginia University Student Government Association took the opportunity to condemn state budget cuts to higher education. ReadMembers of SGA will take a resolution opposing these cuts, passed unanimously Wednesday, to WVU's day at the Capitol on Friday, where students will use it to hopefully sway…

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February 17, 2016 by Sean O'Leary
W.Va. Coal Group Trumpets Study in Call for Steep Severance Tax Relief

SNL - The West Virginia Coal Association, or WVCA, announced a new study aiming to bolster their argument for a steep reduction in its tax burden, an effort it said could help turn the tide on the state's flailing coal sector. ReadThe trade association hopes the West Virginia legislature will cut the coal severance tax…

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