SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 21
(By Senators Hunter, Helmick, Ross, McCabe, Unger and Minear)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance review,
examine and study the impact of the diminishing tax base and
loss of revenue that occurs when federal and state parks and
forests located within the state geographically expand and
explore alternative sources of revenue that local governments
may look toward when private lands are converted to public
lands within the boundaries of parks and forests.
Whereas, When federal and state parks and forests expand their
boundaries to include former private lands within their boundaries,
counties and local governments lose tax revenue associated with
property taxes and other taxes previously imposed while the
property was held privately; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to review, examine and study the impact of the
diminishing tax base and loss of revenue that occurs when federal
and state parks and forests located within the state geographically
expand and explore alternative sources of revenue that local
governments may look toward when private lands are converted to
public lands within the boundaries of parks and forests; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2003, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.