MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice appeared to have a friendly crowd in Morgantown Wednesday as he continued to crisscross the state to speak against the passage of Amendment 2 that is before voters in next month’s general election.
Justice and state Revenue Secretary Dave Hardy made a stop at Mylan Park near Morgantown Wednesday morning before stopping in Clarksburg Wednesday afternoon.
The stops were the latest in the governor’s efforts to defeat the measure that would open the door to the elimination of some property taxes. Wednesday’s efforts came a the same time early voting was beginning statewide.
Justice told those in Morgantown the car tax is no longer a consideration for those in favor of passing Amendment 2. He said he has legislation prepared to introduce during the next legislative session that will rebate the amount paid for the car tax and it will be retroactive to last January.
“We have a rebate system, a bill that there’s no way the House or Senate will turn it down,” Justice said. “At that point in time you will never have to pay your car tax again.”
Justice referred to Amendment 2 as a plan that came from “the swamp.” Justice said state lawmakers appear to be more interested in big business and corporations than the people who built the more than $1 billion surplus currently enjoy by the state. Hardy pointed to population growth in eight states in the country that eliminated a tax on income.
“Get on a pathway to eliminate your personal income tax, reward your people,” Justice said. “When you reward your people the dollars will be spent in our state and it becomes our own incentive program.”
Morgantown resident Bob Musick, a Democrat, applauded Justice for the statewide tour on the issue and said he was there to listen to what Justice had to say.
“If the Republican governor of the state disagrees with it, I look at that,” Musick said.
Justice’s message was much the same as it has been in recent weeks. State Senator Robert Karnes, R-Republican, who joins Justice as an Amendment 2 opponent, said Justice’s message has to be working.
“I haven’t seen what I would consider to be a reliable poll since the governor hit the trail. Clearly, he has a big soapbox and he’s a good persuasive talker,” Karnes said Wednesday during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Justice cautioned the Morgantown crowd of about 30 people that a yes vote would change the constitution- the relationship between Charleston and all counties that has been in place for the last 90 years. He said things are good now with record surpluses, but when the economy trends down state issues could be funded before some county services.
What does @DelPaulEspinosa think about Amendment Two? Does he see it as a positive or negative thing for West Virginia? He provides his insight to @HoppyKercheval. WATCH: https://t.co/yCFQ3nDJuy pic.twitter.com/uulwjltJwp
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) October 26, 2022
“When you dry up the revenue stream to the counties and Charleston has all the control,” Justice said. “Then every February, the counties will have to go to Charleston and stand in line to beg for their money.”
Delegate Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson, said Wednesday on MetroNews “Talkline” that no legislator would vote to eliminate funding to their county.
“To think that any of us are going to enact a tax relief plan that’s going to dramatically reduce funding for our local municipalities and school districts—I think that is really nonsense,” Espinosa said.