PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Commission may hire a lobbyist to work with legislators on bills for Home Rule for counties.

The commission has begun making inquiries into lawfirms and others who might be able to go to Charleston and meet with lawmakers on a regular basis during a session to talk about the possibility of Home Rule for the counties.

During the last session, the commission supported efforts of Delegate John Kelly, R-Wood, who introduced a bill to allow counties with municipalities with a Home Rule sales tax to also enact a sales tax equal to that of the municipality. However, the bill died with no action taken on it.

Commission President Blair Couch said he had traveled to Charleston a number of times to talk to lawmakers about getting the bill moving forward.

“Over the last two or three years, I have tried to go down there a lot, but we need someone down there regularly,” Couch said.

Commissioners from Wood County have wanted the Legislature to pass a law that would allow counties to enact a 1 percent sales tax like many municipalities have through Home Rule.

In West Virginia, the state sales tax is 6 percent. Williamstown opted to enact a 1 percent municipal sales tax in 2010 rather than a business and occupation tax. In 2015, Parkersburg and Vienna were accepted into the state’s expanded municipal Home Rule program. Both cities sought and were granted approval to implement a 1 percent sales tax the following year with reductions in B&O tax rates.

Currently, shoppers in all three cities pay 7 percent sales tax on non-exempt purchases.

The county had been looking at getting Home Rule status so it can implement a 1 percent sales tax, as local municipalities have, to raise revenue to pay the jail bill and related costs.

That measure would have only bring the county in line with the municipalities and would not add an additional 1 percent to the existing taxes already in place in the cities, officials said adding a majority of the money raised would come from people passing through the area who stop and buy something..

“The cities have done a lot with their Home Rule,” Couch said. “We would like to see that. We would like to have that ability to attack the challenges we have.”

Couch said Home Rule for counties would also help them deal with public service districts, which a number are now under the jurisdiction of the commission for rate increases and other things.

“A firm that is out for Wood County would be helpful to us,” he said. “Not all of us on commission have the time to travel to Charleston on a regular basis.

“Our priorities are different than other counties.”

The cities who have instituted Home Rule and the sales tax have been able to raise a lot of money which has been used to offset other costs.

Officials said the 1 percent sales tax, under Home Rule, could generate around $2 million annually for the county.

Couch said he would like to use that money to address some of the financial concerns the county has with its regional jail and other expenses.

“My goal is to reduce the levy rate,” he said. “We are the 50th lowest levy rate in the state. I want to be the 55th.”

The legislature wants to eliminate the personal property taxes on businesses.

Couch said that does not directly impact residents.

“If we can lower the rate on their cars and their houses, it impacts them,” he said.

In other business, County Clerk Mark Rhodes said the public inspection of the county voting machines will be held on Thursday. Pollworker training will begin April 25.

Rhodes said they have enough pollworkers to work the May primary election, 435. Fifteen extra pollworkers are available from each party, he said.

“We have enough people to run the election,” he said.

Early voting will run April 25-May 5. The primary election is May 8.