Latest Breaking News

mitty14u2

(1,015 posts) Sun Oct 23, 2016, 12:58 PM Oct 2016

West Virginia candidate for governor owes millions in taxes

Source: US News

By DYLAN LOVAN and JONATHAN MATTISE, Associated Press

HINDMAN, Ky. (AP) — Jim Justice, a coal billionaire running for West Virginia governor, owes millions in back taxes to some of Appalachia's most impoverished counties, including one in Kentucky that is struggling to pay the debt on a new rec center and has turned the lights off in its parks and reduced hot meals for senior citizens.

Many of these counties have been devastated by the collapse of the coal industry over the past few years, and their financial struggles are not all Justice's fault. But county officials say things would be a lot easier if he paid up.

"It's just absurd that a billionaire wouldn't pay his taxes," fellow Democrat Zach Weinberg, the top elected official in Kentucky's Knott County, said as he thumbed through a folder of Justice's debts.

Justice, who is leading in the polls, makes no apologies for the debt owed by some of his coal companies, saying he is doing everything he can to keep his businesses running and workers employed while other companies go under.

Read more: http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2016-10-23/west-virginia-candidate-for-governor-owes-millions-in-taxes

Cutting Taxes for the Rich is the Republican way leaving the tax burden to others that have to work pay check to pay check. Trump will not disclose his tax records because he pays very little to non. Look what happened in Kansas after republicans took control and cut taxes for the top few percent that have 80% of the money.

Kansas’ Governor Destroyed The State Budget With Massive Tax Cuts And Now Kansans Are Paying The Price

https://thinkprogress.org/kansas-governor-destroyed-the-state-budget-with-massive-tax-cuts-and-now-kansans-are-paying-the-a4ed0a296848#.j4i3w0834

8 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

West Virginia candidate for governor owes millions in taxes (Original Post) mitty14u2 Oct 2016 OP

No surprise - Justice was a die-hard Republican until just last year Adenoid_Hynkel Oct 2016 #1

But he's running as a Democrat. cheri010353 Oct 2016 #2

I didn't realize cheri010353 Oct 2016 #4

Obviously CUTTING taxes DOES NOT create more revenue !! nt vkkv Oct 2016 #3

True shenmue Oct 2016 #6

Justice needs to call Candy Corn and ask. How do I get out of paying my taxes? sarcasmo Oct 2016 #5

By the way in the past Jim Justice has compared himself to Kunta Kinte! ralps Oct 2016 #7

Amazing that so much wealth is created Astraea Oct 2016 #8

Adenoid_Hynkel

(14,093 posts)

1. No surprise - Justice was a die-hard Republican until just last year

Reply to mitty14u2 (Original post)

Sun Oct 23, 2016, 01:06 PM

Oct 2016

And switched to get into the Democratic primary and buy the nomination out from under two great progressive candidates, including the prosecutor who put his fellow coal operator Don Blankenship in jail.

cheri010353

(127 posts)

2. But he's running as a Democrat.

Reply to mitty14u2 (Original post)

Sun Oct 23, 2016, 01:20 PM

Oct 2016

He changed from Republican to Democrat Last February, probably so he could run for governor as a Democrat. Hopefully, he won't forgive his tax debt and run the state like a Republican would if he wins. According to the article, he seems like a decent enough guy and has paid a lot in taxes, but has a cash flow issue. He has kept his businesses running and not claimed bankruptcy so his workers would still have jobs. And it sounds like he intends to pay up and is making installments, although a couple of his businesses have defaulted on their payments.