A Daily Mail editorial from the Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia ought to know better than any state that it can’t tax its way to prosperity. It wasn’t that long ago when the state’s tax burden on businesses was among the highest of the 50 states.
That — combined with minimal room for companies to expand, issues related to workforce and education, and access to cheaper raw materials elsewhere — caused many companies to move their operations to less-costly climes out of state.
Tax policies have improved to the point the Tax Foundation now ranks West Virginia as 21st in the business tax climate index. But the state’s economy, with a 7.6 percent unemployment rate and the nation’s highest percentage of non-working adults, is still struggling.
Some are now calling for an increase on natural gas severance tax. Particularly when political leaders need to be doing everything possible to attract new business and investment, that’s not a good idea…