HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 27
(By Delegates Shaver, Perry, Stemple, Swartzmiller,
Varner, Beach and Williams)
[Introduced February 5, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance 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 also 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 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 to also 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, 2004, 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.