As some in Washington continue their misguided attack on coal, communities right here in southern West Virginia continue to reap benefits from our abundant fossil fuel.
Legislation now awaiting the signature of Gov. Joe Manchin will bring expanded coal severance tax funds to several southern West Virginia counties.
During the recently concluded legislative session, lawmakers passed a version of a bill that pulls an additional 5 percent of coal severance tax out of the state’s general fund and sends it to the county of coal origin. The legislation doesn’t constitute an additional tax. Instead, it creates a new county reserve fund, according to Senate Majority Leader H. Truman Chafin, D-Mingo.
According to estimates from the state tax department, five southern West Virginia counties in particular would receive more than $3 million in new revenue as a result of the legislation. Wyoming County would receive $600,000; McDowell County, $500,000; Wayne County, $600,000 and Mingo County, $1.4 million. Mercer County, where the amount of coal mined is significantly lower, would receive $5,000.
Chafin said the five counties are coal producers, and the funds received from the coal severance tax can be used to create jobs and better the lives of those citizens living in the coal producing counties.
Lawmakers point to the Hatfield-McCoy Trail system as a coal severance tax success story. The 500-plus mile trail system is helping bring thousands of off-road visitors to our region each year. It will be expanded into Mercer County this year, and could connect at some point in the future with the Spearhead Trail system being developed in neighboring Southwest Virginia. The Hatfield-McCoy system, according to Chafin, is partially funded by coal severance tax dollars.
The state treasurer’s office will distribute the funding with legislative approval. The money can be used for economic development, infrastructure projects, jobs creation and road repairs.
It is our hope that Manchin will sign this welcomed legislation into law soon. The coal producing counties of southern West Virginia need all the help they can get from Charleston.
Many of these counties, including McDowell and Wyoming, are still lagging far behind the rest of the state when it comes to basic necessities such as four-lane highways, modern water and sewer projects, broadband service and even cell phone towers.
We welcome the additional coal severance tax revenue that will be provided to these counties. It’s another small reason why coal is so important to our region, not to mention our state and nation.
Editorials
March 17, 2010
Severance taxes: Funding a boost for coal counties
- Editorials
-
- Job losses: Proactive response is imperative
- Truancy crackdown
- Junk dealers — Legislation targeting sales a necessity
- A basic necessity — AML funds regional water system
- School construction — Public input vital to consolidation plan
- Commercial park — Bland eyes industrial growth
- A good fit
- Super Sunday
- Buffalo Mountain EPA objection impacts highway
- Timely response
- More Editorials Headlines
