CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Governor-elect Jim Justice has picked a new state Tax Commissioner.
Dale Steager, a lawyer in Charleston with Spilman Thomas and Battle, will fill the role. Mark Matkovich had been the Tax Commissioner since 2013.
Steager has more than 45 years of experience working with West Virginia’s tax code and revenue laws. Steager earned his undergraduate degree and his law degree from WVU.
Steager previously worked for the state Tax Department as general counsel and before that he was the director of the Tax Department’s Legal Division. In 1989, the Department of Tax and Revenue was created by the West Virginia legislature and Steager became its general counsel, a position he held until his retirement in the fall of 2005.
“Dale Steager has public service in his blood and will help our state get its fiscal house in order,” Justice stated in an announcement. “He has the experience working with Democrats and Republicans to get things done. Dale is a tax expert and will be fair to our people and the businesses operating in West Virginia.”
Steager stated that he is honored to be selected but is aware that West Virginia has budgetary challenges.
“In light of the revenue shortfalls, our department must be efficient and accurate. The stakes are too high to let politics get in the way of doing the right thing for our state,” Steager stated.
Matkovich had been general counsel to the Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Revenue before joining the state Tax Department under Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.