FISCAL NOTE
FUND(S):
General Revenue Fund
Sources of Revenue:
General Fund
Legislation creates:
Neither Program nor Fund
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
The stated purpose of this bill is to raise the qualifying percentage of the federal poverty level from one-hundred and fifty percent to three-hundred percent.
As written, this bill, would extend the Senior Citizens’ Tax Credit for Property Tax Paid on the first $20,000 of taxable assessed value of a homestead to taxpayers whose federal adjusted gross income is less than or equal to 300 percent of the federal poverty guideline based upon family size. Currently, the eligibility criterion is federal adjusted gross income of less than or equal to 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline. According to our interpretation, passage of this bill would result in an initial annual reduction in the General Revenue Fund of roughly $5 million to $8 million. The number of senior citizens in West Virginia is expected to grow by nearly 37% over the next decade. The annual reduction in General Revenue Fund collections would grow with the increase in number of senior citizens.
Assuming that all Personal Income Tax returns claiming the credit would be accepted as filed, additional administrative costs for the State Tax Department would be minimal.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2012
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2013
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
Passage of this bill would extend the Senior Citizens’ Tax Credit for Property Tax Paid on the first $20,000 of taxable assessed value of a homestead to taxpayers whose federal adjusted gross income is less than or equal to 300 percent of the federal poverty guideline based upon family size. Currently, the eligibility criterion is federal adjusted gross income of less than or equal to 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline. According to our interpretation, passage of this bill would result in an initial annual reduction in the General Revenue Fund of roughly $5 million to $8 million. The number of senior citizens in West Virginia is expected to grow by nearly 37% over the next decade. The annual reduction in General Revenue Fund collections would grow with the increase in number of senior citizens.
The change in the definition of low income for purposes of the Senior Citizen Tax Credit for Property Tax Paid to federal adjusted gross income that is 300 percent or less of the federal Poverty Guideline would increase the number of credit claimants from roughly 50,000 to roughly 90,000.
Assuming that all Personal Income Tax returns claiming the credit would be accepted as filed, additional administrative costs for the State Tax Department would be minimal.
Memorandum
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Mark Muchow
Email Address: kerri.r.petry@wv.gov