Amendment 2, or the Property Tax Modernization Amendment, will be on the ballot this November for West Virginia voters to consider. If passed, it would amend the constitution to give the state legislature the authority to exempt business machinery and equipment, business inventory, and personal vehicles from property taxation. As such, passage of the amendment would give the legislature control over $515 million of property tax revenue, or 27 percent of total property tax revenue in the state, resulting in the fulfillment of a long-term goal of state legislators to take control of a significant portion of property tax revenue in order to pursue property tax cuts that largely benefit out-of-state businesses.
The proposed exemptions under Amendment 2 would result in local governments losing control over an essential revenue stream. The $515 million in property tax revenue from personal vehicles and business machinery and equipment, business inventory, and other business personal property accounts for up to 37 percent of total property tax revenue in some counties. The loss of this critical revenue will adversely impact the ability of municipalities, county governments, and school districts to provide needed services that benefit all West Virginians, and will likely lead to cuts to services or increased taxes on other parties, like homeowners.
Meanwhile, Amendment 4 would strip education experts of the ability to make decisions about school policy and curriculum.
As we approach this November’s election, here are two key ways you can take action to help us defeat Amendments 2 and 4:
Learn more about what’s at stake here.
This week, Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper revealed the list of the 50 companies in the county that would benefit most from the tax cuts included in Amendment 2. The list confirms what we’ve long been saying: large corporations will disproportionately reap the benefits, with multimillions heading out of state. A recent article includes further details. Excerpt below:
Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper showed Eyewitness News a list of companies in the county that would benefit from the tax break.
“A large portion of this tax burden shift, the money will go to out-of-state corporations. This shows that it’s true,” Carper said.
A list of the top 50 potential tax cuts in Kanawha County includes chemical giants Union Carbide, Chemours, International firms such as NGK, and big coal but also West Virginia-based car dealers and convenience stores.
It also shows, just in Kanawha County, multimillion dollars of that tax break will head out-of-state. Union Carbide Corporation would see the biggest cut in Kanawha County: more than $2.3 million.
Read the full article.
Monongalia County could lose $17 million annually in funding for its local public services if Amendment 2 passes this November. Meanwhile, Amendment 4 would strip education experts of the ability to make decisions about school policy and curriculum.
Join us Monday, Oct. 17 from 10am-12pm at the Morgantown Courtyard Marriott (460 Courtyard Street) to learn more about what’s at stake.
Light refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to Kelly Allen at kallen@wvpolicy.org by Friday, Oct. 14.
On October 18, starting at 6pm, community members will gather at the Racine Volunteer Fire Department to learn more about what’s at stake for Boone County if Amendment 2 passes this fall.
Find the Facebook event here.
Learn more about the potential impacts of Amendments 2 and 4 here.
BOO! Medicaid’s public health emergency is set to expire as soon as January 2023. Change can be scary, but we’re here to help!
During this webinar, we’ll explain what the public health emergency is, what’s been happening nationally and in West Virginia, and what steps we can all take to protect public health in our communities!
The webinar will be held Tuesday, Oct. 31 at 12pm. Register here. Find the Facebook event here.
Please note: this event is aimed at direct service providers, advocates, researchers, and folks interested in learning more about the PHE. We’ll be hosting webinars early next year aimed specifically toward Medicaid enrollees, so stay tuned!
The fourth annual Food for All Summit is a place to learn about the decisions that state and federal policy makers are considering that affect both food access and farm viability. Come learn, build skills, and develop policy-changing ideas!
The event will take place on November 16 from 10am-4pm at the Brushy Fork Event Center (929 Brushy Fork Road, Buckhannon, WV 26201).
Please refer to the event landing page for updates on the event itinerary, speakers, and more. There is no cost to attend. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, but registration is required.
The WVCBP’s Elevating the Medicaid Enrollment Experience (EMEE) Voices Project seeks to collect stories from West Virginians who have struggled to access Medicaid across the state. Being conducted in partnership with West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, EMEE Voices will gather insight to inform which Medicaid barriers are most pertinent to West Virginians, specifically people of color.
Do you have a Medicaid experience to share? We’d appreciate your insight. Just fill out the contact form on this webpage and we’ll reach out to you soon. We look forward to learning from you!
You can watch WVCBP’s health policy analyst Rhonda Rogombé and West Virginians for Affordable Health Care’s Mariah Plante further break down the project and its goals in this FB Live.
