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March 18, 2011

The banking industry is lobbying Congress to delay retailer's recent victory on debit card swipe fee reform.  S. 575 and H.R. 1081 have been introduced to delay swipe fee reform and allow banks to continue to fix prices on debit card swipe fees while hurting merchants and consumers.

Members need to contact Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, Congressman Nick Rahall, Congressman David  McKinley, Senator Jay Rockefeller and Senator Joe Manchin TODAY and ask them to vote no on any type of delay of the debit card swipe fee reform.  Ask them to make it easier, not harder, to run a business and be able to offer consumer discounts.  Delaying swipe fee reform will make discounting impossible, especially when gasoline is tops $4 per gallon.

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February 16, 2011

 

The committee substitute for SB  362 - Increasing excise tax on all tobacco products passed in Senate Health today.  The committee substitute did not change the tax rate but changed where the revenue goes.  It has $50 million going to OPEB, $40 million to Medicaid, and the balance into tobacco programs, oral health, substance abuse, home health and other areas. The fiscal note on the bill states the revenue from the tax is $130 million.  It will now go to the Finance Committee.

It could be taken up as early as Monday.  Please call your Senators regarding your opposition to this tax.

Members of this committee are:

 

Senator Roman Prezioso, Chairman	(304)357-7961
Senator Doug Facemire, Vice Chairman	(304)357-7845
Senator Truman Chafin	(304)357-7808
Senator Larry Edgell	(304)357-7827
Senator Mike Green	(304)357-7831
Senator Walt Helmick	(304)357-7980
Senator William Laird	(304)357-7849
Senator Brooks McCabe	(304)357-7990
Senator Ron Miller	(304)357-7959
Senator Bob Plymale	(304)357-7937
Senator Ron Stollings	(304)357-7939
Senator John Unger	(304)357-7933
Senator Erik Wells	(304)357-7841
Senator Jack Yost	(304)357-7984
Senator Donna Boley	(304)357-7905
Senator Mike Hall	(304)357-7901
Senator Dave Sypolt	(304)357-7914

 

 

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February 15, 2011

SB 362 - Increasing excise tax on all tobacco products is on the Senate Health & Human Resources Committee agenda tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.

The purpose of the bill is to increase the excise tax on cigarettes by $1.00 per pack; The bill increases the excise tax on all other tobacco products from seven percent of their wholesale prices to fifty percent.

If you do business in a border county and have a senator on this committee, you need to call them and let them know what this tax will do to your business.

Members of this committee are:

Senator Ron Stollings, Chairman         (304) 357-7939

Senator Dan Foster, Vice Chairman      (304) 357-7866

Senator TrumanChafin                        (304) 357-7808

Senator Evan Jenkins                          (304) 357-7956

Senator William Laird                          (304) 357-7849

Senator Ron Miller                               (304) 357-7959

Senator Corey Palumbo                        (304) 357-7880

Senator Roman Prezioso                       (304) 357-7961

Senator Greg Tucker                             (304) 357-7906

Senator Mark Wills                               (304) 357-7843

Senator Jack Yost                                (304) 357-7984

Senator Donna Boley                            (304) 357-7905

Senator Mike Hall                                 (304) 357-7901

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December 02, 2010

By Taylor Kuykendall

BECKLEY — West Virginia business leaders are meeting with their representatives in government across the state to discuss a range of issues, from combating the state’s drug problem to reforming the court system.

One of the nine meetings held by the West Virginia Business and Industry Council was hosted in Beckley. The purpose of the meeting was to bring lawmakers and business people together to discuss issues important to West Virginia business.

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