Bank deposits had dropped from $183 million to $96 million by 1933, and many banks and businesses had closed. Thousands of people had lost their jobs, and 35 of the state’s 55 counties were in debt.

To help people keep their homes and farms, West Virginians voted in 1932 to limit property taxes with the Tax Limitation Amendment to the state Constitution. It set maximum tax rates for different kinds of property and allowed higher rates only if voters approved them.

Court cases confirmed that all counties had to follow the new tax rules. Since local governments struggled under the limits, the state took over funding roads and schools. To raise more money, the state also created a sales tax. Many people remembered having to pay the extra “Kump Pennies,” named after Governor H. Guy Kump, on their purchases.