Fayetteville council adopts election-related resolutions

Oct. 27—During a regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 20, Fayetteville Town Council unanimously passed two separate resolutions pertaining to the upcoming General Election.

According to Town Superintendent Matt Diederich, councilman Gabriel Peña read both resolutions for all those in attendance both in person and on Zoom.

On resolution indicates the council's opposition to Amendment 2, while the other is in favor of the Fayette County school levy, referred to in the resolution as excess levy.

Concerning Amendment 2, the council's resolution read, in part: "During the 2022 General Election, West Virginians will be asked to vote on Amendment 2, one of the most substantial changes to West Virginia's constitution in nearly 100 years. It is not the place of the Town of Fayetteville, West Virginia to tell registered voters how to vote on this issue. However, the Town of Fayetteville is committed to the wellbeing of its residents and visitors and, as such, seeks to inform the public of the potentially devastating and far-reaching impacts that Amendment 2 could have on public safety and local government services in Fayetteville.

"The Town of Fayetteville understands that Amendment 2 would allow the West Virginia Legislature to eliminate property tax on machinery and equipment directly used by businesses and on motor vehicles owned by businesses and residents" and "legislators supporting this amendment claim that cutting the state's inventory tax on machinery and equipment would attract new businesses to West Virginia."

"As currently drafted, the Town of Fayetteville understand that there is no guarantee that personal property taxes on personal vehicles will be eliminated" and "finds that the passage of Amendment 2 will decrease control of local levying bodies and transfer that control to the state by causing the removal of certain constitutional protections that allow these bodies to provide critical funding for law enforcement, fire protection, emergency medical services and public education."

Giving future legislatures the authority to exempt tangible personal property and equipment from ad valorem property taxation by general law would lead the public to lose its current constitutional protections regarding this matter and transfer that power to the legislature, according to the resolution.

The resolution notes that there are an estimated six types of personal property that are currently being considered for elimination which "have shown to be in excess of $500 million dollars statewide, providing the necessary funding for many vital county and town services and public education statewide."

The potential loss of these funds locally "could result in less services for residents and visitors to Fayetteville, including fewer police officers, emergency (responders), teachers and school personnel."

The town finds that "the passage of Amendment 2 without a final, codified legislative plan that provides for alternate revenue sources for local governments could devastate and defund public safety and public education in Fayetteville and throughout West Virginia." Therefore, council said it "opposes the passage of Amendment 2 in order to further the safety and wellbeing of its residents and visitors."

In relation to the five-year school levy, which is also on the ballot as a separate item, the council said it "recognizes the importance of Fayette County Schools' ability to operate a properly funded public school system for the future of our town, county and state" and that citizens' historical support of the levy has helped provide funds for "quality facilities, course options and staffing toward the best education possible for students in our town and county." It also helps provide money for custodians, counselors, teachers, safety and security improvements.

Failure to pass the levy would result in the loss of one-fourth of the school system's operating budget, according to the resolution.

The levy is "crucial to the successful operation of our schools," council said in endorsing its passage.

"I feel like the school levy is immensely important for our county's school system," Diederich said outside of the resolutions. "It serves as a lifeline to our county's greatest asset, which are our children."

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