HARRISBURG – Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement regarding Dan Onorato’s flip-flop on the Marcellus Shale severance tax issue.

“I thought the summer was coming to an end, but Dan Onorato is still breaking out the flip-flops,” Gleason said.  “In January, Onorato was against this industry-killing tax, but now he supports it.  I can only imagine what changed his mind.  Perhaps Dan “The Drink Tax Man” Onorato checked in with his mentor Governor Ed Rendell who told him to support another tax just like him, since they are essentially one in the same. Maybe Dan just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to institute another new tax.”

FLIP:

A January 11^th, 2010 report from WDUQ 90.5 FM detailed the events at the Jefferson-Jackson Day luncheon at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, writing:
Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato says he wouldn’t support a severance tax.

“There will be revenues that are generated from that industry. The question is what’s the best way to do it. You want to do it in a way where you don’t kill the industry before it gets going. But find a way where the state does get additional revenues from it as it grows. And then the real debate’s going to be, what do we do with those revenues?”

Onorato says he’s worried the levy would kill Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry before it gets going. (“Candidates Stumping at Farm Show,” WDUQ 90.5 FM News, 1/11/10)

FLOP:
According to an August 18^th, 2010 Indiana Gazette article, ironically titled, “’Not the time to raise taxes,’ governor hopeful Onorato says,” Onorato talks about his support for a new Marcellus Shale severance tax.

He said he supports a severance tax on gas extraction, and would use some of that money to fund DEP, making sure the agency could oversee drilling operations. (“’Not the time to raise taxes,’ governor hopeful Onorato says,” Indiana Gazette, 8/18/10)