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When I covered the West Virginia legislature more regularly, some of my fellow reporters and I would joke about how legislators could stand up and say they would not raise taxes.  But fees?  Well, that's a different story.  Hike the fees.  Those aren't taxes!

Charleston Mayor Danny Jones and his surrogates told us for months when the user fee first came out that it was a FEE and not a tax!

You might as well spell tax with four letters in politics.  (Hey--maybe Joe Biden does?) It's a taboo word.

So, today when the Shelley Moore Capito camp sent out word that Anne Barth -- in their words -- "doesn't think she has to pay her own taxes" the Barth camp got upset.

The proof?  Three liens filed in the Kanawha County courthouse against the Barth family.  They have all since been paid.

Capito's camp says Barth has a do as I say and not as I do approach to paying taxes.

Barth's camp says the issue is about fees.  Barth's husband is self-employed and has a fluctuating income, so he has to make amends quarterly on his tax bill.  But that doesn't explain why two of the liens from 2000 and 2002 weren't paid until this year.  The Barth camp didn't offer thoughts on that.

The Barth camp does bring up a point.  They say Capito's people are going negative out of desperation.  I don't know if it's desperation, but it certainly is one of the first negative attacks made in this mostly issues-based campaign.  Republicans used a similar campaign against Jim Humphreys, Shelley's first opponent for Congress, successfully several years ago.  It does help drive up the negatives, as pundits like to discuss.