FISCAL NOTE

Date Requested: February 07, 2022
Time Requested: 12:51 PM
Agency: Tax & Revenue Department, WV State
CBD Number: Version: Bill Number: Resolution Number:
2382 Introduced HB4557
CBD Subject: Taxation


FUND(S):

General Revenue Fund

Sources of Revenue:

General Fund

Legislation creates:

Decreases Existing Revenue, Increases Existing Expenses



Fiscal Note Summary


Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.


The stated purpose of this bill is to create a credit against the severance tax to encourage private companies to make infrastructure improvements to highways, roads, and bridges in the state. The bill limits the total amount of road and highway infrastructure improvement credits, which can be verified by the Secretary of Transportation. The bill seeks to encourage greater capital investment in coal production and processing facilities. The bill will increase economic opportunity to the state. The bill authorizes the claiming of the credits. Finally, the bill provides for an effective date. The provisions of this bill would create two separate investment tax credit applications for the coal industry effective January 1, 2022. The bill creates a broad tax credit against coal severance taxes equal to 50% of qualified expenses necessary to operate a coal mine and related properties. The bill also creates a narrow 50% tax credit for qualified expenses of a surface mine associated with the development of a certified road or highway infrastructure improvement project up to a total limit of $50,000 based on a maximum certification of no more than $100,000 in eligible expenses. The resulting tax credits may be used to offset up to 20% of the Taxpayer’s coal severance tax liability with excess tax credits carried over for up to nine additional years. The broad tax credit equal to 50% of the qualified operating expenses of a mine should by itself be sufficient to fully offset 20% of coal severance tax liability without need for additional benefits from the narrower tax credit for highway improvement projects. The narrow tax credit for highway improvement projects would require pre-certification from the Secretary of Transportation with a limit of no more than $100,000 in total expenditures eligible for the tax credit. Beginning in FY2023, passage of this bill would result in an annual General Revenue Fund loss of at least $40 million per year based on current coal severance tax collections. Given the January 2022 effective date of these proposed tax credits, a revenue loss of up to $16 million could be anticipated for the balance of FY2022 based on an expectation of claims against monthly tax payments. Additional administrative costs incurred by the State Tax Department would be $20,000 in FY2022.



Fiscal Note Detail


Effect of Proposal Fiscal Year
2022
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
2023
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation)
1. Estmated Total Cost 20,000 0 0
Personal Services 5,000 0 0
Current Expenses 0 0 0
Repairs and Alterations 0 0 0
Assets 0 0 0
Other 15,000 0 0
2. Estimated Total Revenues -16,000,000 -40,000,000 -40,000,000


Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):


The provisions of this bill would create two separate investment tax credit applications for the coal industry effective January 1, 2022. The bill creates a broad tax credit against coal severance taxes equal to 50% of qualified expenses necessary to operate a coal mine and related properties. The bill also creates a narrow 50% tax credit for qualified expenses of a surface mine associated with the development of a certified road or highway infrastructure improvement project up to a total limit of $50,000 based on a maximum certification of no more than $100,000 in eligible expenses. The resulting tax credits may be used to offset up to 20% of the Taxpayer’s coal severance tax liability with excess tax credits carried over for up to nine additional years. The broad tax credit equal to 50% of the qualified operating expenses of a mine should by itself be sufficient to fully offset 20% of coal severance tax liability without need for additional benefits from the narrower tax credit for highway improvement projects. The narrow tax credit for highway improvement projects would require pre-certification from the Secretary of Transportation with a limit of no more than $100,000 in total expenditures eligible for the tax credit. Beginning in FY2023, passage of this bill would result in an annual General Revenue Fund loss of at least $40 million per year based on current coal severance tax collections. Given the January 2022 effective date of these proposed tax credits, a revenue loss of up to $16 million could be anticipated for the balance of FY2022 based on an expectation of claims against monthly tax payments. Additional administrative costs incurred by the State Tax Department would be $20,000 in FY2022.



Memorandum






    Person submitting Fiscal Note: Mark Muchow
    Email Address: kerri.r.petry@wv.gov