West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy: Governor Justice’s Tax Plan Favors the Wealthy, While Creating Large Holes in the Budget
ITEP Work in ActionGovernor Justice has finally unveiled his proposal to make sweeping changes to the state’s tax system, including a substantial cut to the state’s personal income tax, while raising a variety of sales and other taxes. The changes would be a dramatic shift in who pays state taxes in West Virginia, shifting the responsibility onto working families to make room for tax breaks for the wealthy. Altogether, these changes would lower General Revenue Fund collections by an estimated $185 million in the first full year of implementation, all but guaranteeing the state will have to make painful budget cuts, while increasing overall taxes on 60 percent of households in West Virginia.