[Old School]

Here is a list of 6 states and their rate for coal severance tax.
Ohio pays a coal severance tax of $0.09 per ton.
Alabama and Tennessee both pay coal severance tax of $0.20 per ton.
Virginia - Counties charge a coal severance tax of 2% per ton.
Kentucky pays a coal severance tax of 4.5%.
West Virginia pays a coal severance tax of 5%.

Now in addition to the Coal Severance Tax, Coal Companies also pay a Black Lung Tax, a Reclamation Assessment and several other taxes. Since the coal severance tax is based on the selling price of coal, let's say coal is selling for $45 per ton, that means a coal company will be paying around $4.50 per ton on various taxes, that is 10% of the selling price of the coal. I think their taxes are high enough as they are, but I do think that more of the severance tax money should be sent back to the county where it was mined.

If the Coal Severance Tax was raised to let's say 6% does that mean that the extra money would come back to Eastern Ky., NO! more than likely it would be spent somewhere else.