Justice proposes vehicle tax rebate instead of Amendment 2
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By STEVEN ALLEN ADAMS
sadams@newsandsentinel.com
CHARLESTON - Gov. Jim Justice announced a plan Tuesday to provide a rebate to West Virginia taxpayers for their motor vehicle tangible personal property taxes in a bid to thwart support for Amendment 2 which would allow lawmakers to eliminate those same taxes.
Justice and Dave Hardy, the cabinet secretary for the state Department of Revenue, made a virtual announcement Tuesday morning announcing the Car and All Vehicle Tax Elimination and Protection of Local Government Act – proposed legislation that would provide rebates to taxpayers at the end of each tax year on their vehicle tangible personal property taxes.
"I said 'find us a way to ensure that Jim Justice will get rid of their car tax,'" Justice said. "Today I am proposing legislation to get rid of the car tax immediately without amending our constitution. This means you can vote no on Amendment 2 and still get rid of your car tax."
West Virginia residents and businesses owning vehicles would receive a full dollar-for-dollar refund on vehicles tangible personal property taxes paid to counties beginning in the current tax year and into the future, Justice said.
The refundable credit would be paid out of general revenue fund collections, ensuring that counties keep their property tax revenues. The draft bill would return about $145 million to taxpayers.
The state Constitution protects the vehicle tangible personal property tax from being reduced or eliminated through legislation. Residents would still have to file their vehicle taxes with the county, with a rebate offered by the state at the end of the tax year.
"It can be done, and we have the way right here without making a major amendment change to our constitution," Justice said.
Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.