We have enclosed a sheet from our brochure that outlines our border stability issue and includes the taxes on gasoline for our bordering states. Our tax on gasoline is higher than ALL of our surrounding states. Virginia just lowered their tax on gasoline and now they are 23.59 cents lower in price on taxes alone. West Virginia has no finished product pipelines for gasoline and our surrounding states do have them. Our product must be transported by truck, which gives us a competitive disadvantage on transportation too. With our smaller population, our volume of sales is lower, resulting in many stations having to increase their price to cover fixed costs. As you can see, we cannot stay in business if we are disadvantaged further.
When residents go out of state to purchase their gasoline they also purchase other products and eat out and take advantage of entertainment, so West Virginia loses sales tax on those items as well.
We appreciate your consideration to our business. We employ over 2.5 percent of the state’s population – more than 50,000 residents.
Sincerely,
Jim Oppe, OMEGA Chairman
We would like to encourage you to also send a letter to the Commission. You need to let your voice be heard. Letters can be sent to:
West Virginia Blue Ribbon Commission
C/O: Rahall Transportation Institute
P.O. Box 5425
Huntington, WV 25703
Also, if you have not taken the survey regarding highway funding, please do so today. Visit http://www.wvbrc.com/ to take the survey. Surveys must be completed prior to close of business on August 25, 2013.
