The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-04-01
WHEELING WILL
PROFIT BY TAX
IN Ill AND Gas
OHIO COUNTY, WHICH ALONE PAYS
ONE-TENTH OF STATES TAKES,
WILL PROFIT BY 100000
ANNUALLY.
Bill Taxing Oil and Gas Has Unqualified
Endorsement of the People of Pan
handle Counties.

The fact that West Virginia now has
Il law taxing all oil and gas that IS pipcd
out IT the state will cause general re-
j"iclnE among the taxpayers "r Wheel
Ing and the Panhandle Counties. tn"
bill in it's amended form WAS signed
yesterday by the governor. and takes CT
feet in 20 days.
The passage Of this bill by the state
legislature was the popular topic or
conversation yesterday among local
manufacturers and business men In
their Offices. about the hotels and at
luncheon. Without exception the meals
urc has their fullest endorsement. Whlle
many were heard 10 express themselves
aa favoring n higher tax rate. they al
Indicated their satisfaction In Inc
k,;uwI"dgc that the oil and gas com
r:trirs that hav" for y"nrs been renplnE
,nurnruuS profit by furnishing West Fir-
GINA gas TO consumers In other states
arc At last to be required 10 bear NJ
least small proportion Of the tax bur
drns Of the state they have been hicn-
ing from.
Had the legislature failed TO rnact n
law taxing oil and gas. direct taXatloh
would have been the only altcrnatlF" IN
raising the money necessary for taking
care of the Virginia debt pnd the IN
creased current expenses. Any increase
in tho tax levy on real estate woui6
have fallen hardest on the people or
Wheeling: not alone because or 'ne
greater value of Wheeling property. but
because the true and actual value" test
in assessing property is more strictly
adhered 10 In Wheeling than prooaMy
anywhere else in the state
II Is estimated that the oil and gas
tax will save the taxpayers OF ONO
! county alone more than 100000 annu-
| ally. The oil and gas tax is counted on
to produce S1.000.000 revenue annually
and as Ohio county has been accustonl-
! cd to paying ope-tcnth OF tho total TAX
revenues OF the state. one-tenth Oh me
! saving 10 the taxpayers OF the state
viii he the proportion saved the people
If this county.
. The estimated gas production In West
! Virginia is two hundred and fifty bill
! lions OF cubic feet annually. of when
| two hundred billion cubic feet liz COLI
! sumed outside OF the state. Thus the
| natural resources OF West Virginia ar"
| being drained To huild up industry In
| other states. and still there ar" those
| who would even deprive their Hlnt" or
! thu. benefit or q hpcchl luA on The qua
| 40 exported
| 1t In gratifying to tho citizens "t tho
! Panhandle counties to know TINT TIA"
| rn- md oil taxing iurna'Ir" had Inc nhp-
| mort Of all their representatives, IN ''r
! hnuro or drl"EnI"- md Tint h"nhi"In
! II.urh Of iIrm,hr. ll"rh at ''hl" ann
! Hunter ur MnTahnll also voted hml
| worked for The InmrnE" "T til" h'l'. IN"
| only I'Huhnnli" "pp";iri"n 'h'n" 'r"h
! ErunIor I!urEcrr or IN" "H""nh mona
! turinl tinlrict. which C"nprt""n 'hN
! rnunIlrr " Mar-hall. WcIz"l hnh TyI"r.
! eEuoirr HurInmr however,. rcnid"r IN
| Nctzcl county. and in therefore not
resident nr TIA" Panhandle. nn1 h"fldcH.
! &c mn oil and gas producer hims"If.