West Virginia Chamber: Passing Amendment 2 Is Best Way to Axe Vehicle Tax

October 12, 2022

Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce is advocating for passage of Amendment 2 as the most efficient way to eliminate the vehicle tax in West Virginia. Taxes on tangible personal property such as cars, trucks and ATVs are currently enshrined in the state’s constitution, meaning that their collection is mandatory and not adjustable by elected officials.

West Virginia Chamber President Steve Roberts stated, “West Virginia is currently sitting on a tremendous amount of money in the form of budget surpluses. This means one thing: the government is collecting far more money from taxpayers than it needs to run its operations, and it’s time to return some of that money to the taxpayers who can better spend it and stimulate the economy.”

Amendment 2, which will be before the voters on November 8, would give the West Virginia Legislature the authority to eliminate tangible personal property taxes on personal vehicles and business machinery, equipment and inventory.

Roberts continued, “This is a tax on jobs. Neighboring states that our businesses compete with, like Ohio and Pennsylvania, don’t have this regressive tax. It’s pretty easy for companies and their jobs to go right across state lines to avoid it.”

Passage of this amendment would bring West Virginia into line with every other state in the country by allowing elected officials to make changes to these types of taxes.

Roberts continued, “Every West Virginian who owns a vehicle knows that in order to legally register your vehicle you must pay the property tax on it. The average in West Virginia is roughly $220 per vehicle per year, but can be significantly more than that based on the age and retail cost. Amendment 2 offers the Legislature the quickest and most efficient path to eliminate this burdensome tax and refund the counties directly. Passing Amendment 2 eliminates the need to collect the tax and provides an opportunity to reduce government bureaucracy.”

Amendment 2 will be on the General Election Ballot on November 8th, and the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce is in full support of its passage.

Members of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce are your small business neighbors. Chamber members employ over half of our state’s workforce and are found in every county and region of our state. More information on the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce can be found at www.wvchamber.com.