"I think if we can get rid of this thing they call personal property tax we can actually have some chemical plants come into this valley and have some steel mills come back to Weirton, and we can grow other parts of the economy," Maloney said.
While he acknowledged that counties derive a lot their revenue through property taxes, Maloney says the state needs to give counties more freedom to raise revenue.
In 2007, West Virginia lawmakers created a five-year home rule project that gave cities greater freedom from state controls. Bridgeport, Charleston, Huntington and Wheeling were picked to participate in the experiment, which ends in 2013.
Maloney said West Virginia should look at New Jersey as an example of how to give communities more options. A West Virginia toolkit would allow cities and counties more control over their own futures, he said.
New Jersey's toolkit is designed to address ever-increasing property taxes and to ensure that county governments live within their means. It encompasses 33 points of reform, but doesn't address ways counties can raise revenue.
Maloney decried what he calls the "picking and choosing of winners and losers" when it comes to special tax credits and deals to attract large businesses to West Virginia. He mentioned Cabela's, in Wheeling, and the Macy's coming to the Eastern Panhandle. While admitting he didn't know if special deals were made, he questioned if existing businesses in those areas had received any of the same benefits for starting and growing their businesses.
Maloney wants to decentralize education and get parents and communities more involved, but he offered no specifics as to how to involve them in the process.
He wants workers to be trained for the work force of the future, especially with the impending development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas deposits, but offered no details as to what that training would entail.
"There's just not enough opportunity," he said. "If you can grow the economy, we would not have the issues we're facing."
Six Democrats are seeking their party's nomination in the primary. The Mountain Party will chose from two candidates during a May 1 party convention.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A self-described conservative, Bill Maloney believes his business experience will carry over into the public sector.
"I definitely think you need someone that's run a business to run the state," he said. "We need someone who understands how to run complex organizations in the state Capitol."
Maloney is one of eight Republicans seeking the GOP nomination in the May 14 gubernatorial primary election. This year's special election is to fill the remaining term of former Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin, who was elected to the U.S. Senate to fill the remainder of the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd's term.
Maloney, a 52-year-old Morgantown drilling consultant and energy company owner, has never held public office, but he's not deterred by that.
"I've helped a lot of other people start businesses in West Virginia over the years," said Maloney, who was part of the team that developed the technology and plan to free the 33 trapped Chilean miners last year. "You learn a lot just by being in business in West Virginia."
Maloney said the state needs to make it easier for people to start businesses. He believes that with the right mentality West Virginia will be able to create more companies "to give kids a start, and grow and realize their dreams here."
If elected, Maloney said he will "go after some constitutional amendments that change the personal property tax and inventory tax and all the other regressive taxes we have."
"We don't need to be growing the budget anymore," he said. "We need to flat line it or go down with our state budget."
He believes there are numerous taxes the state needs to look into getting rid of, but he did not suggest any taxes besides the personal property and inventory taxes.
"I think if we can get rid of this thing they call personal property tax we can actually have some chemical plants come into this valley and have some steel mills come back to Weirton, and we can grow other parts of the economy," Maloney said.
While he acknowledged that counties derive a lot their revenue through property taxes, Maloney says the state needs to give counties more freedom to raise revenue.
In 2007, West Virginia lawmakers created a five-year home rule project that gave cities greater freedom from state controls. Bridgeport, Charleston, Huntington and Wheeling were picked to participate in the experiment, which ends in 2013.
Maloney said West Virginia should look at New Jersey as an example of how to give communities more options. A West Virginia toolkit would allow cities and counties more control over their own futures, he said.
New Jersey's toolkit is designed to address ever-increasing property taxes and to ensure that county governments live within their means. It encompasses 33 points of reform, but doesn't address ways counties can raise revenue.
Maloney decried what he calls the "picking and choosing of winners and losers" when it comes to special tax credits and deals to attract large businesses to West Virginia. He mentioned Cabela's, in Wheeling, and the Macy's coming to the Eastern Panhandle. While admitting he didn't know if special deals were made, he questioned if existing businesses in those areas had received any of the same benefits for starting and growing their businesses.
Maloney wants to decentralize education and get parents and communities more involved, but he offered no specifics as to how to involve them in the process.
He wants workers to be trained for the work force of the future, especially with the impending development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas deposits, but offered no details as to what that training would entail.
"There's just not enough opportunity," he said. "If you can grow the economy, we would not have the issues we're facing."
Six Democrats are seeking their party's nomination in the primary. The Mountain Party will chose from two candidates during a May 1 party convention.
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