Jim Justice on Tax Reform

The faster we drop taxes on individuals the better we'll be

Reduce personal income tax by 50% over three years

Repeal income tax; increase sales tax 1 «%, add wealth tax

We're going to have to raise sales taxes by one and a half percent. We need to look at putting an additional tax on cigarettes and soda. We need to bring into taxation our professional services as well. And then you need to have a wealth tax, a tax on those that are very, very, well to do, that can pay just pay just a little bit extra.

Increase fees, gas tax, and business tax to close deficit

Now, there are two ways you can get there. The first way is to just cut more. Are you willing to eliminate all of our state parks? Are you willing to eliminate all of your colleges and universities other than Marshall and WVU? Shut them down? Are you really truly willing to gut your seniors?

You gotta cut all that we can possibly cut. But I've got to have everybody in this state pay a half of a penny in additional sales tax. There is no way around it. I've got to have you pay instead of $30 in DMV fees, I've got to have you pay $50. I've got to have our businesses pay 0.2% in a tax that would be equivalent to a B&O tax. And the last thing is I've got to have ten cents a gallon on gasoline. Now, I am telling you: If you don't do this, you're dead. You're dead beyond belief.

Don't tax people to death; rein in government by attrition

We cannot tax our people to death. Just like in the business world, we need to make responsible cuts. West Virginia must rein in the size of government by attrition--reviewing whether we need to replace government employees after they retire or leave. Our state needs to find cost savings through modernizing government.

It's time that outsiders across the state get off the sidelines and get in the game to take back West Virginia. I am not running for governor to move the needle a tic; I want West Virginia to be nationally competitive. If you like what you see happening in Charleston, then continue voting for the career politicians who can't even pass a budget. If you really want to turn West Virginia around, join me.