West Virginia
Justice's legislative agenda includes three more tax break proposals – WV MetroNews
Following on the heels of a big personal income tax cut, Gov. Jim Justice has proposed three more tax breaks.
West Virginia lawmakers will now need to make a calculation about whether the state can afford to embrace the proposals. The state’s 21.25 personal property tax cut is still taking effect, and a trigger to cut the tax even more is possible in the coming months.
The governor’s new proposals, outlined in his State of the State address, include changes to the state’s income tax on Social Security benefits, a credit for child and dependent care, and a senior citizen property tax credit.
“These tax cuts are about putting West Virginians first,” Justice stated last week.
“We’re continuing to make West Virginia a more affordable place to live, raise a family, and retire, and these proposals demonstrate my commitment to putting real money back in people’s wallets, helping families raise their kids, seniors stay in their homes, and everyone breathe a little easier. I encourage the Legislature to strongly consider these proposals.”
The administration estimated the three tax breaks combined add up to about $50 million.
Each of these proposals, if passed, would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024.
Social Security exemption:
A 2019 bill signed into law by the governor featured a three-year phase-in to exempt Social Security income from personal income taxes for most West Virginians, particularly those in lower tax brackets.
This proposal would exempt those in higher brackets from being taxed on Social Security benefits. The bill was introduced in the House of Delegates as HB 4880.
The Justice administration says 50,000 senior households would be affected.
Child and dependent care credit
The Justice administration proposes a credit equal to 50 percent of the allowable federal child and dependent care credit. This was introduced in the House of Delegates as HB 4879.
The administration says 16,000 West Virginia families could be eligible.
Senior citizen property tax credit
This would be for seniors with homestead property taxes and federal adjusted gross income below 200% of the federal poverty guideline.
The proposal would increase the maximum credit amount by 50%. It also would expand eligibility by 50% of the federal poverty guideline.
Concerns
These proposed tax breaks represent priorities that would naturally result in trade offs for state government, said Kelly Allen, executive director of the progressive West Virginia Center for Budget & Policy.
“Every dollar diverted to tax cuts is one we cannot use to pay for Republican-led priorities like supporting our first responders, investing in our underfunded public schools, and giving home health workers a raise after more than a decade,” Allen said.
“And to even consider additional tax cuts before we’ve had the chance to see the full budgetary impacts of last year’s changes on programs that serve seniors and families would be fiscally irresponsible, likely setting up the next governor and legislature for very difficult decisions.”
Advocacy for senior property credit
Delegate John Hardy, vice chairman of the House Finance Committee, has been pushing for the break for senior homeowners with homestead property taxes.
Hardy, R-Berkeley, said the upshot to the state would be $3 million to $5 million.
“This is a very targeted tax break for a very targeted part of our population,” he said in an interview on the House floor. “So although it would be very important to the people who would be receiving this tax refund, it’s not very burdensome to the state’s coffers.”
Hardy’s version of this bill is HB 4865.
Hardy said the proposal would expand on a policy put in place in 2007. Seniors who are eligible for a homestead exemption and who are eligible under the criteria can receive a refund on their real property taxes.
The current criteria is 125% of the poverty level. The latest proposal would be 200% of the poverty level.
“You could have lived in your home for 30 or 40 years, it could have been paid for for 25 years, and you don’t have a home mortgage but you’re living on a fixed income and your real property taxes have risen rapidly due to economic development and the cost of living rapidly rising — and you could in a position where your home taxes can be really burdensome,” Hardy said.
“So this is just the way the state can help some of our most vulnerable population stay in their homes.”
Win or go home. That’s what is on the line tonight for West Virginia and Kentucky as they fight to secure a spot in the super regional round against Cal Poly, which is waiting to meet the winner after winning the Los Angeles regional on Sunday.
As usual, we will have you covered with live updates and analysis of tonight’s battle in our game thread below, along with the starting lineups for both teams. Let’s play ball and crown a regional winner!
GAME THREAD
TOP 1 (UK)
Yehl with a much better first inning than he had against the Cats two nights ago. He gave up a leadoff hit to left and issued a 2-out walk, but throws up a very important zero to start things off, punching out two batters.
BOT 1 (WVU)
Gavin Kelly gets a double, scoots to second on a grounder by Schoenfeld, and then scores on a strike three passed by against Sean Smith, who reached first safely. Mountaineers leave Smith stranded at second but strike first, 1-0.
TOP 2 (UK)
1-2-3 inning for Maxx Yehl as he takes care of a good chunk of the bottom of Kentucky’s order.
BOT 2 (WVU)
Aside from a two-out walk to Ben Lumsden, a clean inning for Soucie. Top of the order due up next for the Mountaineers. Headed to the third with West Virginia leading 1-0.
TOP 3 (UK)
Another zero for Maxx Yehl. He finally retires Tharnish, who has been a thorn in WVU’s side all weekend, and after hitting Bell with two outs, he picks him off at first. Guzman had a bad throw to get him at second, but was able to nail him at the bag.
BOT 3 (WVU)
West Virginia’s starting lineup
1. 1B Armani Guzman — .302
2. C Gavin Kelly —.379
3. CF Paul Schoenfeld — .345
4. DH Sean Smith — .316
5. LF Matthew Graveline — .284
6. SS Matt Ineich — .300
7. 2B Brodie Kresser — .289
8. RF Ben Lumsden — .254
9. 3B Tyrus Hall – .276
SP Maxx Yehl
Kentucky’s starting lineup
1. CF Jayce Tharnish — .355
2. SS Tyler Bell — .343
3. DH Luke Lawrence — .343
4. 1B Hudson Brown —.327
5. 2B Ethan Hindle — .307
6. RF Braxton Van Cleave — .278
7. 3b Tyler Cerny — .176
8. LF Carson Hansen — 225
9. C Owen Jenkins — .247
SP Jackson Soucie
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Leading 9-6 entering the top of the ninth, the Bat Cats were three outs away from advancing to the Super Regional. Then, just as what happened last year against West Virginia, disaster struck at the worst possible time.
Nile Adcock, entering his fourth inning of work, walked the bases loaded. The Cats’ bullpen, which had been excellent to that point, brought in the tying runs on a walk, a sacrifice fly, and a balk.
Yes, you read that correctly. It didn’t even take a hit to tie the game. The hit came after West Virginia tied the game, when Paul Schoenfeld homered deep to right field to give the Mountaineers an 11-9 lead.
Kentucky fell behind 3-0 in the first inning, took a 7-6 lead in the fourth, and it looked like they were on their way to a third straight win and regional championship.
What stings the most is that Kentucky was in a worse spot against West Virginia last year in the Regional round of the NCAA Tournament. Leading 12-7, Kentucky completely collapsed and lost 13-12 as their season came to an end.
That didn’t happen Sunday night this year. Kentucky will play West Virginia again on Monday. The winner of that game will advance to the Super Regionals.
Morgantown, WV – The West Virginia Mountaineers (42-15) rallied and scored five runs to force a Morganton regional game seven with a 9-5 win over the Kentucky Wildcats (33-22) Sunday night.
Kentucky starting pitcher Ben Cleaver never found his rhythm in his 14th start of the season. He beaned leadoff hitter, junior Armani Guzman, walked consecutive Mountaineer hitters to load the bases, and hit senior Sean Smith to bring in the game’s first run. Senior Matthew Graveline followed with an RBI sacrifice fly, then reloaded the with his third walk of the inning and it would end the junior’s afternoon.
Kentucky head coach Nick Mingione handed the ball to Ira Austin, and on the 1-1 pitch, senior Brodie Kresser hit an RBI single to centerfield for a 3-0 WVU lead.
In the bottom of the frame, two errant throws put two aboard for the Wildcats before loading the bases after West Virginia starting pitcher David Hagan issued consecutive walks for Kentucky’s first run of the contest. Then, freshman Braxton Van Cleave worked the opposite field with an RBI single to left field to pull the Wildcats within one, 3-2.
Kentucky tied the game in the second after Jayce Tharnish hit the gap in left centerfield for a one out double and moved to third on a ground ball from sophomore Tyler Bell before senior Luke Lawrence hit an RBI single back up the middle.
West Virginia reclaimed the lead in the third. Gaveline hit a leadoff to centerfield and moments later, Kresser smacked a one-out single to left field and senior Ben Lumsden hit the top of the left field wall for an RBI single. Junior Tyrus Hall grounded to third to bring a run across and Guzman capped a three-run third with an RBI single to right field for a 6-3 Mountaineer lead.
Kentucky responded in the bottom of the frame after junior Ethan Hindle received a four-pitch leadoff walk, Van Cleave lined a single to left field, placing runners at the corners, and senior Carson Hansen brought in a run with a fielder’s choice to short to close within two, 6-4. WVU sophomore reliever Joshua Suriagao pitched a third of the inning before Sabins turned to senior Carson Estridge, who recorded the final two outs of the inning.
Kentucky took the lead in the fourth when Bell sparked the Wildcats with a leadoff home run. Then, Lawrence doubled to left field, and Hindle lined an RBI single to left field before Van Cleave delivered another RBI for the 7-6 advantage.
West Virginia loaded the bases in the sixth with one out, but the bottom of the order did not bring a run across, ending the inning with consecutive strikeouts.
In seventh, Kentucky added some cushion to its lead and did the damage with two outs on the board. Tharnish lifted the 2-2 pitched just over the right field wall for a two-out solo home run, then Bell blasted his second solo shot of the afternoon for a 9-6 Wildcats’ lead.
In the ninth, West Virginia loaded the bases on an Kentucky error, a walk, and a single from junior Tyrus Hall. Then, Guzman received a four-pitch walk to bring in a run, Kelly got the Mountaineers within one with a sacrifice fly and a balk tied the game before senior Paul Schoenfeld blasted a two run home run to give the Mountaineers an 11-9 lead.
West Virginia reliever Ben McDougal entered the game in the fifth and closed the game out for the Mountaineers for the 11-9 decision.
West Virginia and Kentucky will meet for a trip to the Super Regionals on Monday. Time and TV is to be determined.
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