Morrisey Takes Tax Cut Proposal To Bridgeport

Gov. Patrick Morrisey encouraged attendees at an event in Bridgeport Tuesday to reach out to their legislators and support a tax cut. 

In front of what Morrisey estimated were a couple hundred people at the Meadowbrook Mall, Morrisey explained why he believes personal income tax cuts are important to the state. 

Before promoting the idea of tax relief, the governor promoted recent private sector investments in the state. 

“Since October, we’ve announced over $6.5 billion of private sector investment into West Virginia, with the projected job total for the next few years, 7,000 new jobs,” he said. “That’s pretty good, but it’s not enough, right? We have to continue the momentum we’re making.”

Morrisey also noted there is significant investment in the northern part of the state in the energy sector. 

“You know that there’s going to be a new gas plant that’s coming in, right?” he said. “You’ve heard about that? Well, they’re going to be a couple in this area, and that alone is going to cause a need in this part of the state for over 3,200 new workers.”

He said he thinks economic development alone isn’t enough. He noted surrounding states are currently working to lower their taxes. 

“You have to invest in the people, and having a 10% across the board income tax, there’s no better way in order to be more competitive with other states, and that’s why I’m up here today,” Morrisey said. “We have to compete. We have to be staying on pace with the other states in order to make this happen.” 

He also focused on affordability and inflation.

“I think the best way to address affordability is an income tax cut, and that’s what we’re pushing to do now,” he said. “I will tell you, there’s some that don’t like this, right? It’s an election year. There are people that just want to spend, spend, spend.” 

In the governor’s proposed budget, he included a 5% tax cut but has challenged the West Virginia Legislature to come up with an additional 5%. 

In a recent interview for The Legislature Today, House Finance Committee Chairman, Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, and House Finance Minority Chairman Del. John Williams, D-Monongalia, questioned whether that makes sense. They noted it only provides about $60 a year to the average West Virginian while requiring cuts in services many people depend on. 

Observers outside of the government are also wary of the proposal. Kelly Allen, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, recently told West Virginia Public Broadcasting she thought the proposal was “shocking.”