By Joselyn King, The Intelligencer
MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. — It was money Marshall County officials explained “never existed,” and Tuesday county commissioners denied the State Tax Department’s request for extra assessments in the county where the state had undervalued natural gas wells.
All is now “status quo,” and the taxpayers affected don’t have to pay additional dollars on their well revenue, according to county officials. Approximately $5.3 million “that never existed” was due Marshall County, but was never budgeted.
The commission had the choice to accept the Tax Department’s request for relief from erroneous assessment, putting the burden to recover those millions of dollars on the commission by assessing well owners, or reject the request and forfeit the money. Marshall County commissioners chose the latter.
It was revealed last month that eight natural gas-producing counties in West Virginia were due an additional $30 million in property tax revenue after an alleged “clerical error” caused the State Tax Division to submit property tax valuations for first-year producing wells that were undervalued.
Many well owners had received letters stating they would be assessed additional money, but not all of the property owners were notified. Representatives from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department explained they sent out notices in late 2023 to taxpayers as directed by the state Tax Department.
