By Kara Linaburg
Rocky Romano, Harrison County assessor, attended and spoke at the July 10 city council meeting to spread the word about a personal property tax cuts notice. “Most of you have probably already received your assessments from me,” Romano said. He said that he had come that night to explain “what is going on with the vehicle tax.”
Romano said that last year when the governor “took it upon himself to battle against amendment two” he was attempting to “lower or do away with in time our personal income tax. He also offered to try to do a rebate on the vehicle tax. Ok, well those are two components that are in this bill. The governor’s bill, which he put out to legislation, did not pass, and then later on, the senate’s bill did not move. It went through the house and the senate started tweaking it a little bit, and the house and the senate and the governor all worked well together on this House Bill 2526.” This bill provides tax relief for citizens beginning in 2024 and not before.
Romano feels the word needs to get out to better inform people about how to pay their personal property tax this year. He is concerned “especially with seniors who like to pay their taxes in full and be done with it.”
“The very first thing they need to know is to pay only half of their personal property tax ticket this year, before October 1st. Then pay their second half after January 1, 2024, before April 1,” said Taylor County Assessor, Christa Kinsey, in a press release. “If you pay all of your tax this Fall, you won’t receive any credit whatsoever on next year’s taxes. However, next year, their full personal property tax will be credited if they decide to pay the full amount prior to October 1, 2024.”
“By paying in ‘24 and getting that credit,” Romano said, “you’re going to be good.” He explained that “if your bill is $600 dollars and you pay the $300 this year and the second half next year, that will definitely be accredited.”
The third component of the bill that Romano explained at council that night was for disabled veterans who are considered “90-100% disabled.” Disabled veterans could receive credits on their primary residence.
And the fourth and final component of the bill is for small businesses (as defined as appraised value 1 million or less). “It allows you to take the rest of your personal property, like furniture and equipment, all of that, and get 50% of credit for other personal property.
“It’s very important that veterans pay the second half in 2024 and that we pay the second half in 2024.”
“County officials strongly supported Governor Justice and the legislature in giving our citizens this tax relief,” said WV Association of County Officials’ Executive Director Jonathan Adler in an email. “Through their leadership, West Virginia enjoys record surpluses, and the people deserve these tax breaks.”
