By LACIE PIERSON The Herald-Dispatch CHARLESTON, W.Va. — An increase in the tax credit rate for restoring historical buildings in West Virginia so far has survived the West Virginia Senate. In the House of Delegates, Finance Committee Chairman Eric Nelson said Monday he was supportive of increasing the tax credit rate[Read More…]
Government
WV budget battle continues, with income tax cuts the issue
By PHIL KABLER Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Day four of the special legislative session on the West Virginia budget was marked by a rare Senate floor speech by Gov. Jim Justice. The speech was intended to garner support for a Justice/Senate compromise plan that would raise sales taxes but[Read More…]
Justice pushes Senate on budget
By JOSELYN KING The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register WHEELING, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice took to the Senate floor Tuesday to rally Senate members on the merits of a tax reform plan he achieved with Senate leadership — a measure central to their plans for a 2018 state[Read More…]
Senate passes amended tax reform bill
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After the governor addressed the full Senate, encouraging passage of the revenue bill, and a debate on whether income tax should only be eliminated on Social Security, the body passed the Tax Reform Act. Senate Bill 1007, which passed in a 19-11[Read More…]
Opinion: Natural Gas — A Solution for W.Va.
By Phil Reale Attorney Charleston, W.Va. As a lawyer and lobbyist for IOGA of WV I read with interest the text of a recent article on the WV Metronews website discussing the state’s revenue and budget posture. As a past president of IOGA of WV years ago when my career was[Read More…]
WV budget talks resume in special session
By PHIL KABLER Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After a 10-day break, West Virginia legislators resumed a special session on the budget Monday, with the Justice administration and Senate leadership tweaking a revenue plan in hopes of gaining support in the House of Delegates — which twice soundly rejected earlier[Read More…]
Legislature gavels back in for special session with two new bills on call, changes to revenue proposal
By ANDREA LANNOM The Register-Herald CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Legislature gaveled back into special session Monday with two more bills added to the call. On Monday, Gov. Jim Justice added a bill to increase the consumer sales tax and use tax on vehicles and a bill authorizing the[Read More…]
Justice chief of staff warns of possible state shutdown
By LACIE PIERSON The Herald-Dispatch CHARLESTON, W.Va. — “Out of an abundance of caution” Gov. Jim Justice’s Chief of Staff Nick Casey on Monday instructed West Virginia’s cabinet secretaries to start developing contingency plans for a potential shutdown in state government. The memo came during the third day of a[Read More…]
Special legislative budget session continues today
By PHIL KABLER Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After a 10-day recess, the special session on the 2017-18 state budget resumes Monday, in much the same posture as when legislators left the Capitol on May 5: With the Senate and Justice administration in general agreement on a revenue plan, but[Read More…]
West Virginia higher education policy under scrutiny
By MICHAEL ERB The Parkersburg News and Sentinel CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia lawmakers could consider a plan next year that would change the funding method for the state’s colleges and universities. Delegate Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson, and Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, are in agreement that the current system —[Read More…]