County Commission Asks For Change To Tax Credit Law

A provision in House Bill 2526, the personal income tax reduction law passed earlier this year, allows taxpayers to receive a credit on their income taxes for paying their county level personal property taxes. But that is causing confusion for many. 

Salango said he has been flooded with calls and emails from residents who already paid their full year’s property tax – which makes them ineligible for the dollar-for-dollar credit in 2024.

To take advantage of the personal property tax credit, the state tax department is advising that taxpayers only pay half of the amount owed this year by Oct. 1, then the other half in 2024 by April 1 to qualify for Motor Vehicle Property Tax Adjustment Credit. However, Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango said the West Virginia Legislature needs to make it simpler for taxpayers. 

“I think that if they will adjust for law to make sure that even people who pay early, for instance, if they pay in 2023, for personal property tax or automobile tax, in 2024, that they also get that rebate,” Salango said. “And so that’s one of the things we’ve asked the legislature.”

The Kanawha County Commission sent a letter on July 31 to leadership members of the state Senate and the House of Delegates asking for the legislature to make this change in a special session expected to happen next week. 

For links to tax forms and details on the net tax credits, click here.