MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As the first week comes of the special session on budget work draws to a close, former Monongalia County Commission Eldon Callen says the state is pushing away business.
“This is the first time that I have no idea what they’re gonna do,” said Callen on WAJR’s Morgantown AM. “If we got a business or corporation say, ‘you know, I’d like to move Monongalia County, Harrison County, or Pocahontas County.’ They want predictability. And they look down there and say, ‘I’m not moving down there, I don’t know what my taxes will be like.”
Callen said the Lawmakers aren’t letting any corporation know what the future would be like in West Virginia.
“Almost every time, if you look closely and you listen to what they have to say,” said Callen. “The first question that is going through their mind is, if you look into their eyes, ‘does this get me re-elected?’ Come on, give me a break.”
On Wednesday, the House declined to suspend legislative rules to quickly vote on a revenue bill passed by the Senate on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 1007, would raise the state sales tax from 6 to 6.85 percent. 1007 would also tax telecommunication and digital services, remove tax exemptions on some goods and would create a graduated system for calculating coal severance taxes based on the amount of coal mined.
Callen believes, before the legislature starts to address tax reform, lawmakers need to create stability.
“First off, we got to have the money to run the state,” said Callen. “But if [State Commerce Secretary] Woody Thrasher can’t make some guarantees to corporations coming into this state, as this is the way it’s going to be and this is the projections and this is the direction this state going on. If he can’t give those guarantees, businesses aren’t coming. And we desperately need businesses.”
Questions, concerns, or comments? Wish to leave a confidential tip? Want to reach the reporter? E-mail [email protected].