January State Revenue $13.8 Million Below Estimates

As fiscal concerns flare entering the legislative session, January’s Senate finance revenue report shows the state took in at least $13,800,000 less than the State Budget Office anticipated for the month.

West Virginia collected nearly $478,000,000 in general revenue last month, 2.8% below the roughly $491,000,000 revenue estimated by the State Budget Office.

The revenue report represents collections from three major tax sources: personal income tax, consumer sales and the use tax and severance tax — which comes from companies extracting natural resources in the state. It  fluctuates depending on the market.

Table of revenue difference for the three major taxes the Senate finance report listed in detail. Credit: Caelan Bailey/West Virginia Public Broadcasting; Source: Budget Analyst Chris DeWitte, West Virginia Senate Finance Committee

With less severance tax revenue than expected, West Virginia’s corporate income tax revenue came in as the state’s third highest-revenue tax for January — totaling $27,603,000 in revenue and outpacing Budget Office estimates by 313.67%.

The state’s general revenue is behind last January’s general revenue performance and total revenue.

In addition to the major taxes, general revenue collections also represent corporate net income tax, tobacco tax and other taxes collected by the state. Lottery revenues are cataloged separately and reported at a delay; for December, lottery collections totaled $114,804,000, $16,576,000 above estimates.

Table of January revenue. Credit: Budget Analyst Chris DeWitte, West Virginia Senate Finance Committee

The fiscal year began July 1. The state is still ahead of estimates, with year-to-date collections ahead of predictions by nearly $28,000,000, or 0.89%.

For the next fiscal year, Gov. Patrick Morrisey says the state faces a $400 million deficit if West Virginia’s budget structure stays the same. This comes after years of personal income tax cuts and a lack of long-term projections from the governor’s office, which has exclusive access to some detailed state financial information.

Morrisey will propose a new budget with his State of the State on Feb. 12.