COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
H. B. 2630
(By Delegates Warner, Fantasia and Doyle)
(Originating in the Committee on Political Subdivisions)
[March 1, 1995]
A BILL to amend and reenact sections one, three, four and six b,
article seven, chapter seven of the code of West Virginia, one
thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; and to amend and
reenact section seventeen, article one, chapter eleven-a of
said code, all relating to classification of counties for
purpose of determining compensation of elected county
officials; making legislative findings pertaining thereto; and
increasing the sheriff's commission for the collection of
taxes.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That sections one, three, four and six b, article seven,
chapter seven of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that
section seventeen, article one, chapter eleven-a of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
§ 7-7-1. Legislative findings and purpose.
The legislature hereby takes cognizance of the provisions of
chapter twenty-three, acts of the legislature, regular session, one
thousand nine hundred seventy-one, as partially amended by chapter
thirteen, acts of the legislature, first extraordinary session, one
thousand nine hundred seventy-one, and the decision of the supreme
court on February twenty-two, one thousand nine hundred seventy-
two, and the conclusions set forth in the opinion of the court in
said proceeding.
The legislature hereby finds as a fact that the legislature
did impose upon the county commissioners in each county broad new
and additional duties by the enactment of committee substitute for
house bill number three, passed in special session November three,
one thousand nine hundred seventy-one, and that the new and
additional duties of county commissioners under said act will begin
with the organizational meetings of the various regional planning
and development councils during the month of May, one thousand nine
hundred seventy-two. The legislature hereby finds as a fact that
the new and additional duties imposed under the provisions of the
aforementioned house bill number three, are such that they would
justify the increase in compensation as provided in section five-a, article one of this chapter without being in violation of the
provisions of section 38, article VI of the Constitution of West
Virginia.
The legislature hereby further finds, as a fact, that the
duties required by sections three-q and three-r, article one,
chapter seven as herein provided, constitute new and additional
duties for county commissioners and as such justify the increased
compensation provided by section five-a, article one, chapter seven
without violating the provisions of section 38, article VI of the
Constitution of West Virginia.
The legislature hereby further finds as a fact that the duties
imposed upon county clerks by the provisions of section three-q,
article one, chapter seven, as herein provided, constitute new and
additional duties for county clerks and as such justify the
additional compensation provided by section five of this article
without violating the provisions of section 38, article VI of the
Constitution of West Virginia.
The Legislature hereby finds as a fact that the Legislature
consistently and annually imposes upon the county commissioners,
sheriffs, county and circuit clerks, assessors and prosecuting
attorneys in each county broad new and additional duties by the
enactment of new provisions and amendments to the West Virginia
code. The new and additional duties imposed upon the aforesaid county officials under these amendments to the West Virginia code
are such that they justify an increase in compensation as provided
in section four article seven of this chapter, consistent with the
provisions of section 38, article VI of the Constitution of West
Virginia.
The Legislature hereby further finds, as a fact, that there
are, from time to time, additional duties imposed upon all county
officials through the acts of the United States Congress and that
such acts constitute new and additional duties for county officials
and as such justify the increased compensation provided by section
four, article seven, chapter seven, without violating the
provisions of section 38, article VI of the Constitution of West
Virginia.
The Legislature hereby further finds there to be a direct
correlation between the total assessed property valuations of a
county, on which the salary levels of the county commissioners,
sheriffs, county and circuit clerks, assessors and prosecuting
attorneys is based, and new and additional duties that each of
these officials are required to perform as they serve the best
interests of a growing county. Inasmuch as the reappraisal has now
been completed, the Legislature finds that the change in
classification of counties by virtue of increased property
valuations will occur on an infrequent basis. However, it is
further the finding of the Legislature that when such change in
classification of counties does occur that new and additional
programs, economic developments, requirements of public safety, and the provision of new services expected of county government all
increase and do constitute new and additional duties for county
officials as their counties reach greater heights of economic
development as exemplified by the substantial increases in property
valuations and as such justify the increased compensation provided
by section four, article seven, chapter seven, without violating
the provisions of section 38, article VI of the Constitution of
West Virginia.
The Legislature hereby further finds and declares that the
amendments made by this act to this article are intended to modify
the provisions of this article so as to cause the same to be in
full compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of West
Virginia, and to be in full compliance with the decisions of the
supreme court of appeals of West Virginia.
§7-7-3.Classification of counties for purpose of determining
compensation of elected county officials.
For the purpose of determining the compensation of elected
county officials, the counties of the state of West Virginia are
hereby grouped into seven classes based on their assessed valuation
of property, all classes. These seven classes and the minimum and
maximum valuation of property, all classes, established to
determine the classification of each county are as follows:
Minimum AssessedMaximum Assessed
Valuation of PropertyValuation of Property
ClassAll ClassesAll Classes
Class I$600,000,000No Limit
Class II$450,000,000$599,999,999
Class III$200,000,000$449,999,999
Class IV$100,000,000$199 ,999,999
Class V$ 50,000,000$ 99,999,999
Class VI$ 15,000,000$ 49,999,999
Class VII$ 0$ 14,999,999
The assessed valuation of property, all classes, that shall be
used as the base to determine the class of a county shall be the
assessed valuation of property, all classes, of the county as
certified by the county assessor, state auditor and county clerk
prior to March twenty-nine, one thousand nine hundred seventy-two.
Prior to March twenty-nine, one thousand nine hundred seventy-
four, and each second year thereafter, the county commission of
each county, shall determine if the assessed valuation of property,
all classes, of the county, as certified by the county assessor,
state auditor, and county clerk, is within the minimum and maximum
limits of a class above or below the class in which the county then is. If the county court so determines, it shall record the new
classification of the county with the state auditor and state tax
commissioner and record its action on its county commission record.
The classification of each county shall be subject to review
by the state tax commissioner. He shall determine if the
classification of each county is correct based on the final
assessed valuation of property, all classes, certified to him by
the county assessor, state auditor and county clerk. If he finds
that a county is incorrectly classified he shall notify the county
commission of that county promptly of his finding and in any case
shall notify the county court prior to June thirtieth of that
current fiscal year. Any county commission so notified shall
correct its classification immediately and make any necessary
corrections in the salaries of its elected county officials for the
next fiscal year. Nothing in this section shall be construed as
authorizing an increase in compensation except at such time as the
affected county officer begins a new term of office.
Effective the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred
ninety-six and thereafter, for the purpose of determining the
compensation of elected county officials, the counties of the State
of West Virginia will be grouped into fourteen classes based on
their assessed valuation of property, all classes. These fourteen
classes and the minimum and maximum valuation of property, all classes, established to determine the classification of each county
are as follows:
Minimum Assessed Maximum Assessed
Valuation of Property Valuation of Property
Class All Classes All Classes
Class I $ 2,000,000,000 No Limit
Class II $ 1,500,000,000 $1,999,999,999
Class III $ 1,000,000,000 $1,499,999,999
Class IV $ 800,000,000 $ 999,999,999
Class V $ 700,000,000 $ 799,999,999
Class VI $ 600,000,000 $ 699,999,999
Class VII $ 500,000,000 $ 599,999,999
Class VIII $ 400,000,000 $ 499,999,999
Class IX $ 300,000,000 $ 399,999,999
Class X $ 250,000,000 $ 299,999,999
Class XI $ 200,000,000 $ 249,999,999
Class XII $ 150,000,000 $ 199,999,999
Class XIII $ 100,000,000 $ 149,999,999
Class XIV $ 0 $ 99,999,999
The assessed valuation of property, all classes, on the first
day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-six, that shall be
used as the base to determine the class of a county shall be the
assessed valuation of property, all classes, of the county as certified by the county assessor, state auditor and county clerk
prior to March twenty-nine, one thousand nine hundred ninety-six.
Prior to March twenty-nine, one thousand nine hundred ninety-
six, and each second year thereafter, the county commission of each
county shall determine if the assessed valuation of property, all
classes, of the county, as certified by the county assessor, state
auditor, and county clerk, is within the minimum and maximum limits
of a class above or below the class in which the county then is.
If the county commission so determines, it shall record the new
classification of the county with the state auditor and state tax
commissioner and record its action on its county commission record.
The classification of each county shall be subject to review
by the state tax commissioner. He shall determine if the
classification of each county is correct based on the final
assessed valuation of property, all classes, certified to him by
the county assessor, state auditor and county clerk. If he finds
that a county is incorrectly classified he shall notify the county
commission of that county property of his finding and in any case
shall notify the county prior to June thirtieth of that current
fiscal year. Any county commission so notified shall correct its
classification immediately and make any necessary corrections in
the salaries of its elected county officials for the next fiscal
year.
§7-7-4.Compensation of elected county officials and county
commissioners for each class of county; effective date.
(a)(1) All county commissioners shall be paid compensation out of the county treasury in amounts and according to the schedule
hereafter set forth for each class of county as determined by the
provisions of section three, article seven, chapter seven:
Provided, That as to any county having a tribunal in lieu of a
county commission, the county commissioners of such county may be
paid less than the minimum compensation limits of the county
commission for the particular class of such county.
Class I$20,000
Class II$15,500
Class III$14,000
Class IV$10,000
Class V$ 7,000
Class VI$ 4,000
The compensation hereinabove provided shall be paid on and
after January one, one thousand nine hundred eighty-five, to each
county commissioner. Within each county, every county commissioner
whose term of office commenced prior to the first day of January,
one thousand nine hundred eighty-five, shall received the same
annual compensation as commissioners commencing a term of office on
or after that date by virtue of the new duties imposed upon county commissioners pursuant to the provisions of chapter fifteen, acts
of the Legislature, first extraordinary session, one thousand nine
hundred eighty-three.
(2) For the purpose of determining the compensation to be
paid to the elected county officials of each county, the following
compensations for each county office by class are hereby
established and shall be used by each county commission in
determining the compensation of each of their county officials
other than compensation of members of the county commission:
CountyCircuit Prosecuting
SheriffClerkClerkAssessorAttorney
Class I$24,200$31,300$31,300$24,200$41,500
Class II$24,200$28,000$28,000$24,200$39,500
Class III$24,200$28,000$28,000$24,200$30,000
Class IV$22,300$24,000$24,000$22,300$26,500
Class V$20,400$22,000$22,000$20,400$23,500
Class VI$17,200$17,200$17,200$17,200$17,000
Any county clerk, circuit clerk, joint clerk of the county
commission and circuit court, if any, county assessor, sheriff and prosecuting attorney of a Class I county, any assessor of a Class
II and Class III county , any sheriff of a Class II and Class III
county, and any prosecuting attorney of a Class II county shall
devote full time to his public duties to the exclusion of any other
employment: Provided, That any such public official, whose term of
office begins when his county's classification imposes no
restriction on his outside activities, shall not be restricted on
his outside activities during the remainder of the term for which
he is elected. The compensation hereinabove provided shall be paid
on and after the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred
eighty-five, to each elected county official.
In the case of a county that has a joint clerk of the county
commission and circuit court, the compensation of the joint clerk
shall be fixed in an amount twenty-five percent higher than the
compensation would be fixed for the county clerk if it had separate
offices of county clerk and circuit clerk.
The Legislature finds, as a fact, that the duties imposed upon
county clerks by the provisions of chapter sixty-four, acts of the
Legislature, regular session, one thousand nine hundred eighty-two,
and by chapter fifteen, acts of the Legislature, first
extraordinary session, one thousand nine hundred eighty-three,
constitute new and additional duties for county clerks and as such
justify the additional compensation provided in this section without violating the provisions of section thirty-eight, article
six of the constitution of West Virginia.
The Legislature further finds as a fact that the duties
imposed upon circuit clerks by the provisions of chapter sixty-one
and one hundred eighty-two, acts of the Legislature, regular
session, one thousand nine hundred eighty-one, and by chapter
sixty, acts of the Legislature, regular session, one thousand nine
hundred eighty-three, constitute new and additional duties for
circuit clerks and as such justify the additional compensation
provided by this section without violating the provisions of
section thirty-eight, article six of the constitution of West
Virginia.
(b) Prior to the primary election in the year one thousand
nine hundred ninety-two, and for the fiscal year beginning on the
first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-two, or for any
subsequent fiscal year if the approval set out herein is not
granted for any fiscal year, and at least thirty days prior to the
meeting to approve the county budget, the commission shall provide
notice to the public of the date and time of the meeting and that
the purpose of the meeting of the county commission is to decide
upon their budget certification to the tax department. Upon
submission by the county commission to the chief inspector division
of the department of tax and revenue of a proposed annual budget
which contains anticipated receipts into the county's general
revenue fund, less anticipated moneys from the unencumbered fund
balance, equal to anticipated receipts into the county's general revenue fund, less anticipated moneys from the unencumbered fund
balance and any federal or state special grants, for the
immediately preceding fiscal year plus such additional amount as is
necessary for payment of the increases in the salaries set out
herein and related employment taxes over that paid for the
immediately preceding fiscal year, and upon approval thereof by the
chief inspector, which approval shall not be granted for any
proposed annual budget containing anticipated receipts which are
unreasonably greater or lesser than that of the immediately
preceding fiscal year, for the purpose of determining the
compensation to be paid to the elected county officials of each
county office by class are hereby established and shall be used by
each county commission in determining the compensation of each of
their county officials: Provided, That as to any county having a
tribunal in lieu of a county commission, the county commissioners
of such county may be paid less than the minimum compensation
limits of the county commission for the particular class of each
county.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Class I$24,000
Class II$18,600
Class III$16,800
Class IV$12,000
Class V$ 8,400
If the approval set out hereinabove is granted, the compensation hereinabove provided shall be paid on and after
January one, one thousand nine hundred ninety-three, to each county
commissioner. Within each county, every county commissioner shall
receive the same annual compensation by virtue of the new duties
imposed upon county commissioners pursuant to the provisions of
chapter one hundred seventy-two, acts of the Legislature, second
regular session, one thousand nine hundred ninety, and chapter
five, acts of the Legislature, third extraordinary session, one
thousand nine hundred ninety.
OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS
CountyCircuit Prosecuting
SheriffClerkClerkAssessorAttorney
Class I$29,040$37,560$37,560$29,040$59,500
Class II$29,040$33,600$33,600$29,040$59,500
Class III$29,040$33,600$33,600$29,040$36,000
Class IV$26,760$28,800$28,800$26,760$31,800
Class V$24,480$26,400$26,400$24,480$28,200
Class VI$24,480$26,400$26,400$24,480$28,200
Any county clerk, circuit clerk, joint clerk of the county
commission and circuit court, if any, county assessor, sheriff and
prosecuting attorney of a Class I county, any assessor of a Class
II and Class III county, any sheriff of a Class II and Class III
county, and any prosecuting attorney of a Class II county shall
devote full time to his or her public duties to the exclusion of
any other employment:
Provided, That any such public official,
whose term of office begins when his or her county's classification imposes no restriction on his or her outside activities, shall not
be restricted on his or her outside activities during the remainder
of the term of which he or she is elected. If the approval set out
hereinabove is granted, the compensation herein above provided
shall be paid on and after the first day of January, one thousand
nine hundred ninety-three, to each elected county official.
In the case of a county that has a joint clerk of the county
commission and circuit court, the compensation of the joint clerk
shall be fixed in an amount twenty-five percent higher than the
compensation would be fixed for the county clerk if it had separate
offices of county clerk and circuit clerk.
Prior to the primary election in the year one thousand nine
hundred ninety-two, in the case of Class III, Class IV or Class V
county which has a part-time prosecuting attorney, the county
commission may find that such facts and circumstances exist that
require the prosecuting attorney to devote full time to his or her
public duties for the four-year term, beginning the first day of
January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-three. If the county
commission makes such a finding, it may by proper order adopted and
entered, require the prosecuting attorney who takes office on the
first day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-three, to
devote full time to his or her public duties and the county
commission shall than compensate said prosecuting attorney at the
same rate of compensation as that of a prosecuting attorney in a
Class II county.
(c)
Beginning in March in the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-six, and for the fiscal year beginning on the first day of
July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-six, or for any subsequent
fiscal year if the approval set out herein is not granted for any
fiscal year, and at least thirty days prior to the meeting to
approve the county budget, the commission shall provide notice to
the public of the date and time of the meeting and that the purpose
of the meeting of the county commission is to decide upon their
budget certification to the tax department. Upon submission by the
county commission to the chief inspector division of the department
of tax and revenue of a proposed annual budget which contains
anticipated receipts into the county's general revenue fund, less
anticipated moneys from the unencumbered fund balance, equal to
anticipated receipts into the county's general revenue fund, less
anticipated moneys from the unencumbered fund balance and any
federal or state special grants, for the fiscal year beginning in
July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-three plus such additional
amount as is necessary for payment of the increases in the salaries
set out herein and related employment taxes over that paid for the
fiscal year beginning in July in the year one thousand nine hundred
ninety-three, and upon approval thereof by the chief inspector,
which approval shall not be granted for any proposed annual budget
containing anticipated receipts which are unreasonably greater or
lesser than that of the fiscal year beginning in July in the year
one thousand nine hundred ninety-three, for the purpose of
determining the compensation to be paid to the elected county
officials of each county office by class are hereby established and shall be used by each county commission in determining the
compensation of each of their county officials: Provided, That as
to any county having a tribunal in lieu of a county commission, the
county commissioners of such county may be paid less than the
minimum compensation limits of the county commission for the
particular class of each county.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Class I$ 26,880
Class II$ 26,760
Class III$ 26,640
Class IV$ 26,520
Class V$ 26,400
Class VI$ 26,280
Class VII$ 20,270
Class VIII$ 20,180
Class IX$ 18,350
Class X$ 18,300
Class XI$ 18,060
Class XII$ 12,240
Class XIII$ 12,120
Class XIV$ 8,800
The compensation hereinabove provided shall be paid on and
after January one, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven, to each
county commissioner. Within each county, every county commissioner
whose term of office commenced prior to or on or after the first
day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven, shall
receive the same annual compensation by virtue of legislative
findings of extra duties as set forth in section one of this
article.
OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS
CountyCircuit
SheriffClerkClerk Assessor
Class I$32,525$42,065$42,065$32,525
Class II$32,380$41,880$41,880$32,380
Class III$32,235$41,690$41,690$32,235
Class IV$32,090$41,500$41,500$32,090
Class V$31,940$41,315$41,315$31,940
Class VI$31,780$41,130$41,130$31,780
Class VII$31,650$36,960$36,960$31,650
Class VIII$31,510$36,790$36,790$31,510
Class IX$31,430$36,700$36,700$31,430
Class X$31,360$36,620$36,620$31,360
Class XI$31,290$36,200$36,200$31,290
Class XII$27,290$29,370$29,370$27,290
Class XIII$27,020$29,090$29,090$27,020
Class XIV$24,600$26,530$26,530$24,600
Effective the first day of January in the year one thousand
nine hundred ninety-seven and thereafter, the salary of the
prosecuting attorney shall be the percent of salaries of judges of
circuit courts as prescribed by section thirteen, article two,
chapter fifty-one of this code, as set out below for the respective
classes of counties:
Classification Percent of Circuit Judges
Of County Salary to be Paid Prosecutor
Class I Ninety-five percent (95%)
Class II Ninety-three percent (93%)
Class III Ninety-one percent (91%)
Class IV Eighty-nine percent (89%)
Class V Eighty-seven percent (87%)
Class VI Eighty-five percent (85%)
Class VII Sixty percent (60%)
Class VIII Fifty-eight percent (58%)
Class IX Fifty-six percent (56%)
Class X Fifty-four percent (54%)
Class XI Fifty-two percent (52%)
Class XII Fifty percent (50%)
Class XIII Forty-eight percent (48%)
Class XIV Forty-five percent (45%)
Any county clerk, circuit clerk, joint clerk of the county
commission and circuit court, if any, county assessor, sheriff and
prosecuting attorney of a Class I county through Class V counties,
inclusive, any assessor of a Class VI through XI county, inclusive,
any sheriff of a Class VI through XI county, inclusive, and any
prosecuting attorney of a Class VI county shall devote full time to
his or her public duties to the exclusion of any other employment:
Provided, That any such public official, whose term of office
begins when his or her county's classification imposes no
restriction on his or her outside activities, shall not be
restricted on his or her outside activities during the remainder of
the term for which he or she is elected. The compensation
hereinabove provided shall be paid on and after the first day of
January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven, to each elected
county official.
In the case of a county that has a joint clerk of the county commission and circuit court, the compensation of the joint clerk
shall be fixed in an amount twenty-five percent higher than the
compensation would be fixed for the county clerk if it had separate
offices of county clerk and circuit clerk.
Prior to the first day of January in the year one thousand
nine hundred ninety-six, and prior to any subsequent January of a
year in which a primary and general election are to be held for the
office of prosecuting attorney, the county commission is hereby
authorized to make a finding of facts and circumstances that would
cause the commission to decide, by proper order duly entered, to
provide for their county a full-time prosecuting attorney, other
than as required above by this section. Those county commissions
providing for a full-time prosecuting attorney rather than a part-
time prosecuting attorney shall compensate their full-time
prosecutor at the same rate of compensation as that of a
prosecuting attorney in a Class VI county.
§7-7-6b.Additional compensation of assessors according to county
classification.
For the purpose of determining the additional compensation to
be paid to the county assessor of each county for the additional
duties provided by section six-a of this article, the following
compensation for each county assessor by class, as provided in
section three of this article, are hereby established and shall be
used by each county commission in determining the compensation of
each county assessor; for assessors in Class I counties, twelve thousand dollars for the calendar year one thousand nine hundred
and eighty and eleven thousand dollars for each calendar year
thereafter; fourteen thousand five hundred twenty dollars; for
assessors in Class II counties, six thousand dollars; fourteen
thousand four hundred sixty dollars; for assessors in Class III
counties, five thousand dollars; fourteen thousand four hundred
ten dollars; for assessors in Class IV counties, two thousand five
hundred dollars; fourteen thousand three hundred fifty dollars; for
assessors in Class V counties, one thousand five hundred dollars;
fourteen thousand three hundred dollars; and for assessors in Class
VI counties, one thousand dollars fourteen thousand two hundred
fifty dollars; for assessors in Class VII counties, seven thousand
seven hundred forty dollars; for assessors in Class VIII counties,
seven thousand seven hundred ten dollars; for assessors in Class IX
counties, six thousand four hundred ten dollars; for assessors in
Class X counties, six thousand four hundred dollars; for assessors
in Class XI counties, six thousand three hundred seventy dollars;
for assessors in Class XII counties, three thousand fifty dollars;
for assessors in Class XIII counties, three thousand twenty
dollars; and for assessors in Class XIV counties, one thousand
eight hundred dollars.
Notwithstanding this section or any other section of the code
to the contrary, in no event shall the additional compensation paid
to the county assessors for performance of additional duties as
provided in section six-a of this article be less than the
additional compensation such county assessors received January one, one thousand nine hundred seventy-six.
§ 11A-1-17. Sheriff's commission for collection.
After the sheriff has collected eighty-five percent of the
combined total of all taxes assessed on real and personal property,
he shall, in addition to the salary and compensation now authorized
by law, be allowed a commission as follows: Two and one-half
percent on the remainder of taxes collected up to ninety percent of
the combined total of all taxes assessed on real and personal
property, three and one-half percent of the remainder collected
above ninety percent and up to ninety-five percent of the combined
total of all taxes assessed on real and personal property, and five
percent on the remainder of taxes collected above ninety-five
percent of the combined total of all taxes assessed on real and
personal property. In all cases the taxes collected on which any
commission shall be paid will be exclusive of interest and charges
thereon, if the collection be made before the delinquent list has
been approved by the county commission: Provided, That the total
amount of commissions paid to any sheriff shall not exceed the sum
of fifteen nineteen thousand eight hundred dollars in any one year.
The commission so allowed shall be determined by the county
commission and charged against the various funds for which the
taxes are collected.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to change the
classification of counties from the present number of seven to
fourteen and to further provide salary reform for county officials
including prosecuting attorneys whose salaries under this bill will
be tied to a percentage of the salaries of the circuit judges of their particular county. Counties with part-time prosecuting
attorneys would be authorized, prior to any election of prosecuting
attorneys, to opt for and pay the compensation of a full-time
prosecutor. This bill further provides for an increase in the
sheriff's commission for the collection of taxes.
FOLLOWS IS A LIST OF COUNTIES THAT WOULD BE IN THE NEW CLASSES SET
OUT IN THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION OR ARE LIKELY TO BE IN THAT CLASS
ON JULY 1, 1996
Class I - Cabell, Kanawha, Wood
Former
Class I Class II - Berkeley, Harrison, Monongalia
Counties
Class III - Jefferson, Marion, Marshall,
Mercer, Mingo, Putnam, Raleigh
Class IV - Logan, Ohio
Class V - Fayette, Greenbrier, Hancock,
Wayne
Class VI - Boone, Jackson, Mason, Preston
----------------------------------------------------------------
Former Class VII - Brooke, Grant, Nicholas, Randolph,
Class II Wyoming
Counties
Class VIII - Hampshire, McDowell, Mineral,
Upshur
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Former Class IX - Hardy, Lewis, Morgan, Pleasants,
Class III Wetzel
Counties
Class X - Barbour, Braxton, Lincoln,
Pocahontas, Taylor
Class XI - Gilmer, Pendleton, Ritchie, Roane,
Tucker, Tyler, Webster
----------------------------------------------------------------
Former Class XII - Clay, Doddridge, Monroe, Summers
Class IV
Counties Class XIII - Calhoun
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Former Class XIV - Wirt
Class V
Counties