CHARLESTON – All four proposed state constitutional amendments, including the hot-button Amendment Two, went down in defeat Tuesday night.
Among the high-profile races on the ballot, incumbent Republicans Carol Miller and Alex Mooney held onto their seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Also, Republicans increased their supermajority in both the state Senate and the House of Delegates.
The four amendment proposals all were falling by at least a 55-45 margin. Amendment Two, which would have allowed legislators to exempt personal property taxes on vehicles and business taxes on inventory, equipment and machinery, saw the biggest defeat. It fell by a 65-35 percent margin.
Property taxes play a large part of counties fund services such as schools, libraries and ambulance service.
Republican legislative leaders supported Amendment Two, but Republican Gov. Jim Justice and many county officials across the state campaigned against it. Justice barnstormed across the state making stump speeches against the Amendment during the final weeks of the campaign.
“I think it was the key to the defeat of Amendment Two, no question,” said Matt Harvey, Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney and president of the West Virginia Association of Counties. “He’s the chief executive of the state, and a lot of people listen to what he has to say.”
The president of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce said he was disappointed but not surprised by the defeat of Amendment Two.
“We still think it’s a good idea, but the voters didn’t see it that way,” Steve Roberts said during MetroNews’ election coverage. “I think, frankly, the role the governor played was very, very large. The governor said this was the priority issue of his eight years in office. I think he had the bigger megaphone. The voters are not ready to do this, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be ready in the future.
“I am disappointed and surprised because the governor had indicated on several occasions he was supportive of getting rid of this tax. He gets more free media than anybody else in the state. He made defeating this the hallmark of his administration. We have to come back and make our case again sometime.
“We’re the only state in the nation that has this tax embedded in its constitution. Most states don’t have a tax like this at all. Legislative leadership and other proponents did their best, but the governor had a bigger megaphone and used it effectively.”
Amendment One would have clarified the judiciary's role in future impeachment proceedings. It fell by a 58-42 margin. Amendment Three would have made code allowing churches and religious denominations to incorporate. It fell by a 55-45 margin. Amendment Four would have given lawmakers more control over education. It fell by a 58-42 margin as well.
Of the 17 state Senate races on the ballot, all but one went Republican. Some notable Democrats who lost were current Senate Majority Leader Stephen Baldwin, longtime state Senator Ron Stollings (to former U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart) and Richard Lindsay (to former Democrat Mark Hunt). The GOP will have a 30-4 Senator majority.
In the 100 House races on the ballot, Republicans won 88 of them, gaining 10 more seats. One Democratic incumbent who lost was Fayette County's Austin Haynes, who recently was accused of offering support for legislation in exchange for sexual favors.