For Immediate Release Contact: Ted Boettner, 304-590-3454 or tboettner@wvpolicy.org
WVCBP Executive Director Ted Boettner released the following statement on Governor Jim Justice’s State of the State Address:
The Governor should be commended for putting forth responsible and much needed revenue measures to address the state’s massive budget crisis. We also need to include a refundable Earned Income Tax Credit and implement a revenue package with more options based on ability to pay. Reducing or eliminating West Virginia’s state income tax would mostly benefit the wealthy, likely fail to produce anticipated economic growth, and would destabilize our state’s revenue system. The state has made over $600 million in cuts over the last five years, including deep cuts to higher education, and we need to make sure we do not put more debt on the back of our future workforce and make it harder for more kids to go to college. Approximately 70 percent of West Virginians support raising revenue to maintain our state’s vital services, including education, public safety, and roads, according to a recent poll. Let’s hope legislative leadership is listening.
View the PDF news release.
