By Phil Kabler, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia tax collection bounced back in January, after a disappointing December, figures compiled by the Senate Finance Committee show.
January tax collection of $444.68 million exceeded projections by $46.64 million, and topped January 2020 collection by $7.15 million, or 1.6%.
It marks a rebound from December, when tax collection of $382.2 million missed estimates by $4.56 million, and was down $46.03 million, or 10.8%, from December 2019.
Gov. Jim Justice touted the numbers during the state COVID-19 briefing Monday, calling the revenue report, “terrific, terrific news.”
He noted that budget year-to-date revenue collection of $2.76 billion is $173 million above estimates, and up $4.7 million, or about two-tenths of a percent, over the same point in 2020.
“Last year at this point in time, we didn’t hardly even know what COVID was all about,” said Justice, who has consistently downplayed the impact the infusion that more than $3 billion of federal pandemic relief funds has had on the state economy and state tax collection…
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