As we start the week, I wanted to share the following facts about the Motor Vehicle Tax Credit from the West Virginia Tax Department.
Tax filing season opened on January 27th. Beginning this year, taxpayers can claim a credit for any property taxes that they paid on most of the motor vehicles they own. Filing an income tax return is the primary way a taxpayer can receive that credit. Taxpayers must, however, have paid the property tax on time to their county sheriff.
On time means:
- By March 31, 2024, for the second half of 2023 property taxes.
- By September 30, 2024, for the first half of 2024 property taxes.
Additionally, taxpayers will receive credit for any second half of 2024 property taxes paid by December 31, 2024.
If you paid after those dates you will not receive a credit. The Tax Division is attempting to be proactive. All individuals who paid property tax on a motor vehicle in 2024 should soon receive a letter indicating how much tax was paid timely on eligible motor vehicles.
This letter is necessary to claim a credit. If you do not receive a letter by February 15, 2025, it may be because of a bad address. You can check on the status of your letter at the Tax Division’s website at https://mytaxes.wvtax.gov/ and have the ability to print a copy of it.
To get a letter on the Tax Division website you need the tax ticket number for your property taxes (which should be on your receipt) and the driver’s license number for the person listed on the ticket. If there are any questions or concerns, please call the Tax Division helpdesk at (304) 558-3333.
This credit is refundable, which means you get the credit whether you owe income taxes or not. If you do not owe any taxes, you will receive a refund when you file your return on the portal. If you are not required to file a return, you can claim your credit as a rebate directly from the Tax Divisions website, again at https://mytaxes.wvtax.gov/.
Approximately 750,000 letters were sent. Unfortunately, according to records available to the Tax Division, approximately one third of taxpayers failed to pay their property taxes timely and will receive a letter indicating the credit amount is zero. If you disagree with the amount on the letter, or you did not receive a letter but paid property taxes, go ahead and claim the amount you believe you paid on eligible motor vehicles on your return and include the tax ticket and your receipt.
Please allow additional time to process these claims. The Tax Division anticipates more than 500,000 credits will be claimed. This may result in a delay in processing tax refunds. Again, please be patient as the department works through this volume. This is by far the largest tax credit program the Tax Division has ever administered.
I hope this clears up any confusion that constituents are having concerning the tax credit program. Again, if you have questions call the Tax Division help desk at (304) 558-3333.
One of the key aspects of representative government is the public’s ability to voice their opinions to those in power. I have heard and have had my own concerns about the proposed change in the House of Delegates’ rules, which would eliminate traditional public hearings on proposed legislation.
Currently, any House member or citizen can call for a public hearing on a bill once it is placed on a committee agenda. House Speaker Roger Hanshaw’s proposed change would remove this rule.
Instead, the new rule would allow individuals to submit comments that would be part of the official record available to legislators. Comments may be sent to an email that connects to the chamber system where every delegate will have the opportunity to read the comments or constituents can still contact their representatives by phone, email, or traditional mail. Additionally, the proposed rule requires a three-stage deliberative process: a hearing, markup, and deliberation (voting stage).
The hearing stage involves examining proposed legislation, the sponsor explaining the legislation and answering questions, and taking testimony. This change aims to make committee testimony more impactful, with more interaction between lawmakers and witnesses.
If a bill makes it through a subcommittee and is reported to the standing committee, the process repeats. This means there is potential for public testimony at both stages where before the public had one opportunity for a public hearing.
The new format has the potential to provide more information for lawmakers and interested parties, as long as committee chairs ensure an open process and sufficient lead time for public awareness. The three-stage process will also slow down the movement of bills in the House, emphasizing quality over quantity in lawmaking.
Opponents of the change believe it represents a barrier to public participation in the legislative process. If executed as intended, however, the new rule could lead to lawmakers hearing more directly from citizens and interest groups. With a distinct step in place for each bill that goes through a committee to generate public comments, even more West Virginians will be able to weigh in and actually be heard. This approach aligns with how the legislative process should work.
I had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Tony Minney, superintendent, Gilmer County Schools and Gilmer County Board of Education President, Cody Moore, and discussed plans for The Bolt Health and Fitness Center and concerns about education. The Bolt will be a fantastic addition to the Glenville/Gilmer County community. Physical activity promotes the well-being of not only students but everyone. The project is seeking partnerships, sponsorships, and donations to make this project a reality. To become a partner, call 304-462-7386.
I also met with the President of Glenville State University, Dr.
Mark Manchin, Chief Financial Officer Tim Henline, and Vice President of Advancement and Government Affairs, David Hutchison. During our discussion, we focused on the upcoming session and explored various strategies to make higher education more affordable and worthwhile for students. I am confident that we can make significant strides for our students with continued collaboration and innovative approaches.
This coming weekend, on February 8th, the Gassaway Library is hosting the “Souper Bowl Saturday” from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM at the Gassaway Community Building. Tickets are $8.00 and can be purchased at the door or from a “Friends of the Gassaway Library” member. Come out and enjoy all you can eat soup, enjoy music from the Strumalongs, and a silent auction.
In other news, French Creek Freddie came through with a prediction of an early spring! That is a happy prediction for all of us! We will soon know the accuracy.
“The trouble with weather forecasting is that it’s right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it. “ (Patrick Young)
I look forward to hearing from people in the district and hope to see you out and about enjoying all the great things our area has to offer. I can be contacted at lori.dittman@wv house.gov or 304-701-8600.