Lawmakers OK tax break for struggling coal-fired power plant

[TexasTowelie]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved a bill to give a tax break to a struggling coal-fired power plant.

The Senate and the House of Delegates passed the measure Tuesday without much debate, sending it to the governor's office as the House ended its side of the special legislative session.

The proposal would exempt FirstEnergy Solutions, which has been operating in bankruptcy, from a $12.5 million state tax. CEO John W. Judge said the company's Pleasants Power Station in Willow Island will likely close in the next year if it has to continue paying the tax.

Local and state officials say the closure would devastate the local economy, coal producers and other industries.

Republican Gov. Jim Justice, who owns coal businesses, is pushing for the bill and tweeted Tuesday that he will sign it. He amended the special session call so the legislature could take up the proposal.

Read more: https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/House-passes-tax-break-for-struggling-coal-fired-14116313.php

[toddwv]

1. That's definitely what the WV government needs... less tax revenue.

If only someone had warned us that coal wasn't a viable lynch-pin for future economies...

[TexasTowelie]

2. Especially when I see what the state is paying to some of its employees

in one of the other threads I posted in the WV Group. Some of the employees are making less than $17K a year so I guess that they are on SNAP or TANF benefits too.

[keithbvadu2]

3. Republican Gov. - Socialism