Fact Check: Did Gov. Jim Justice Break His Pledge by Raising Gas Tax?

The race for the open U.S. Senate seat in West Virginia is heating up as Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., takes aim at his Republican rival, Gov. Jim Justice. Mooney is trying to paint Justice as out of touch with conservative voters, particularly when it comes to taxes.

In a recent social media post, Mooney accused Justice of breaking his pledge by raising the gas tax and pushing for the largest tax increase in West Virginia’s history. However, a closer look reveals that this attack is misleading.

Justice did sign a bill in 2017 that raised gasoline taxes and other motor vehicle taxes and fees. However, it’s important to note that Justice signed the taxpayer protection pledge in 2023, almost six years after signing the tax and fee increases. Therefore, he couldn’t have broken a pledge he hadn’t signed at the time.

Furthermore, Justice recently signed a $754 million tax cut in 2023, which was hailed as the largest tax cut in West Virginia history. This move to reduce state personal income tax rates by 21.25% stands in stark contrast to the earlier tax increase.

In light of these facts, we rate Mooney’s statement as False. It’s clear that Justice’s actions do not align with the accusation of breaking his pledge on taxes. The battle for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in West Virginia continues to intensify as both candidates make their case to voters.