The Legislature: Taxes

The Senate has endorsed a package of four tax-related measures that aim to go beyond what Gov. Joe Manchin has proposed for this session. Two of the bills also take larger steps toward targeting the corporate net and business franchise taxes than what the governor requested during last year's special session on taxes. The Associated Press story is also here.

Those bills are now before the House. I reported earlier in the session that several key delegates are in favor of reducing both taxes this year, most notably House Finance Chairman Harry Keith White, D-Mingo.

But Manchin has signaled to MetroNews (link includes audio) that the pending proposals don't fit with his timetable for overhauling the state's tax system.

The Charleston Daily Mail also notes the governor's tepid response to the bills while relaying praise for the measures from business leaders.

Update: West Virginia Media's State Journal appears somewhat behind the curve on this story, declaring in an article dated March 1 that "Legislature, Governor not advancing major tax reform in 2007 session."

Though this could reflect the downside of publishing only once a week, the tax bills reached the Senate floor Monday. The Journal apparently goes to press on Wednesday.

Sen. Mike Hall had chided The Charleston Gazette during a Wednesday floor speech, believing "the morning newspaper" had ignored the bills. The Putnam County Republican heralded them as major, positive legislation. Hall later apologized in remarks to the Senate that evening, as the Gazette had published the AP's article on the four bills.