Severance tax disbursements just one area that will be affected
Release from the W.Va. State Treasurer:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia State Treasurer John Perdue is urging all state residents to respond to the United States 2020 Census either online or by mail, as the Census response will help determine how billions of federal dollars will be sent to local communities for the next decade.
Additionally, the 2020 Census population count will affect severance tax allocations to counties and municipalities in the state.
The West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office has distributed more than $67 million in coal and oil/gas severance tax revenues based on census results over the past 10 years. Any unincorporated area’s share goes directly to the county government for that area. Revenue distributions may be viewed on the State Treasurer’s website HERE.
“The Census is a civic duty,” Treasurer Perdue said. “The more people who are counted in our state, the better off our communities will fare over the next 10 years when we distribute severance tax funds as directed in W.Va. State Code. It’s time to be counted.”
Severance taxes use three different calculations, two of which are formulated by the State Tax Department. The remaining 25 percent is calculated by the State Treasurer’s Office and based solely on the results of each 10-year census.
For decades, natural resource severance taxes have contributed widely to quality of life improvements in the Mountain State, funding a wide array of public projects at the local level. Examples include special funding for local law enforcement, economic development projects and facility upgrades.
“It only takes about 10 minutes to respond to the Census online. I encourage everyone to participate,” Perdue said. To participate in the 2020 Census, visit https://2020census.gov/.