Today, the Jefferson County Foundation filed its response to the West Virginia Economic Development Authority’s (WVEDA) attempt to dismiss the Foundation’s challenge of the WVEDA’s plan to give Rockwool a break from property taxes for up to 10 years and up to $150 million in bonds for Rockwool’s benefit.
The Foundation brought the WVEDA’s plan to our community’s attention in September of 2019 after surfacing information about it via the Foundation’s FOIA requests. Our legal action against the WVEDA challenges the constitutionality and legality of the tax exemption that the WVEDA is attempting to provide Rockwool.
The next step in the proceeding is for the Circuit Court judge in Charleston to rule on the motions to dismiss our challenge that the WVEDA and Rockwool have filed to protect the tax relief scheme. The Foundation has requested oral argument and looks forward to the opportunity to explain to the court why such tax breaks violate the Constitution’s requirement for fair and equal taxation while subsidizing certain companies at the expense of the state’s taxpayers.
About PILOT Agreements
For more information about PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreements, please see here.