W.Va. House passes bill to cut personal income tax by half

By LEAH WILLINGHAM
Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s Republican-controlled House has passed a proposal to reduce the state’s personal income tax by 50 percent and sent it to the Senate. House lawmakers passed the bill overwhelmingly Wednesday. They also rejected a rival plan from Democrats that would have completely eliminated the tax for the lowest earners in West Virginia, one of the poorest U.S. states. Republican Gov. Jim Justice said Wednesday the House-passed bill would put money in the pockets of hardworking West Virginians. But Senate Republican leaders who have clashed on tax cuts with the governor in they past say they’ll offer a proposal of their own.