MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer (D – Monongalia, 51) said she’s not opposed to the possibility of a seven-year phase out of the business inventory tax, which provides about $134 million in revenue per year.
But, she does see a number of obstacles before that wish becomes a reality.
“That’s millions and millions of dollars,” she said. “And, it’s not a good tax, but it’s in the Constitution. And to get rid of it, we’d have to amend the Constitution, which means it has to pass by two-thirds in each house. It has to be read on the floor on three separate days, and the people get a right to vote on it.”
That, she said, isn’t where the potential road blocks stop either.
“I think everyone agrees it’s not a good tax,” she said. “But we’ll have to get the money from somewhere else.”
That’s the real rub, Fleischauer said this week on WAJR’s Morgantown AM.
“You’re taxed on things that you’re storing like cars in a car lot, but if we get rid of that tax we will have to make it up somewhere else. And I’m concerned that we’d have to double our property taxes for home owners.”
She said this issue could put a stall in budget talks, which a number of legislators on both sides of the aisle throughout the state have predicted will be smoother in 2018. And, she added, the Monongalia County delegate still has a number of obligations to constituents.
“What we have to especially watch out for in our area is WVU’s budget and also PEIA,” Fleischauer said. “We have a lot of teachers and state employees, and those costs keep rising.”
Commenting on the Governor’s party switch, which occurred last year, Fleischauer said she doesn’t know yet what to expect.
“It tends to be a team sport down here, and that’s one of the things we don’t know yet — how much they’ll be working as a team.”
The 60-day regular session opened Wednesday morning.