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Shale Coalition Drills Democratic Hopefuls

Gas Drill FrackingThe Marcellus Shale Coalition lambasted Democratic candidates’ plans to tax natural gas.

“Unfortunately, some candidates for office have embraced misguided, job-crushing policies that would throw a wet blanket on this positive, widespread progress,” the MSC wrote in a release.

“Specifically, these candidates refuse to recognize or acknowledge that other major energy-producing states with a severance tax do not have a corporate net income tax or have far more competitive corporate tax structures than Pennsylvania’s, which has among the nation’s highest rates.”

All of the Democratic hopefuls have more or less embraced some form of new tax on gas production.

But the MSC’s Thursday statement followed a Wednesday announcement by Allyson Schwartz that she would seek to fund her infrastructure spending proposal with a five percent severance tax on natural gas drilling. Governor Corbett’s re-election campaign criticized her proposal.

Former DEP Secretary Katie McGinty revealed her energy platform included a “reasonable severance tax” on Marcellus Shale extraction Friday.

A recent Mercyhurst poll found that 70% of Pa. residents who had heard of Marcellus shale support a tax on it.

Gov. Tom Corbett’s campaign forwarded the MSC statement to reporters.

“Whether it’s a massive tax increase or a proposal to ban natural gas development altogether, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz and our opponents’ plans would stifle economic growth and community investment and threaten the jobs of over 200,000 hardworking Pennsylvanians,” added Corbett campaign manager Mike Barley.

If drilling companies are wary of Democratic candidates, it’s a good sign for Corbett. The Governor will rely on strong support from the energy industry to help raise the money he’ll need for a tough re-election fight next year.

7 Responses

  1. A quote from the website of the non-partisan National Coalition of State Legislators: “Thirty-two states currently produce natural gas, with Texas, Louisiana, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Colorado ranking as the top five producers in 2012. Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania are the only natural gas producers without a severance tax. Thirty-five states have enacted fees or taxes on oil and gas production and three of these—North Carolina, Idaho, and Wisconsin— have taxes on oil and gas production despite lacking commercial gas and oil wells.” I strongly support Rep. Schwartz’s proposal.

  2. This whole thing is very misleading. Most people (including me) agree with a tax on shale gas when it’s SOLD. What Schwartz is talking about is taxing it when it’s PRODUCED (and then again when it’s sold). There is no other natural resource that has a tax on production. Do we tax the farmer when he milks his cow or the lumberjack when he cuts down the tree? No. We tax the finished product when it’s bought by the consumer. What this really is is an attempt by the environmental lobby to discourage fracking in PA by using special taxes as a weapon against the gas companies. If the Democrats want to adopt that policy, it’s fine with me; I just wish they’d be honest about it.

  3. Dear Colin McNickle: Have you been comatose?? The Brabender/Corbett Money Store has been open for a longtime for corporate welfare Queens Vahan Gureghian, pa cyber and K 12! Do you think it’s right that Corbett has adopted UPMC and Buchanan Ingersoll as his own private torches! McNickle: you will be sentenced to 8 years of liberal PA government because of your publications blind eye to the integrity lapses in the Brabender/Corbett administration! McNickle call for the resignations of Gromis-baker and Zogby!!! Call for the deportation of acting Governor Brabender back to Loudon County Virginia!

  4. Any Republican attack against a Democrat will use the typical buzz words “MASSIVE Tax” “Job Creators” “Job Killing” “War on Coal”… etc. I think we are seeing the swing voters aren’t buying the far right shizzle any longer.

  5. I saw the “Anti-Schwartz” ad. It makes me want to vote for her… because her proposal is a pretty decent idea that people seem to support… it’s kind of dumb to attack her for having a popular position.

    Also, the ad said “A MASSIVE tax on natural gas companies” or some such nonsense, and made the mistake of showing the percentage that she wants: 5. Five percent. A 5% tax on natural gas extraction.

    I think people watching the ad might just consider that a reasonable amount and not a “massive” tax.

    Corbett/Gas Industry/GOP are exceedingly stupid.

  6. In light of the Corbett/Brabender administration’s new award of the lucrative state lobbying contract award to Buchanan Ingersol, does Tom Corbett desperately need an INTEGRITY CZAR to police and throw out Gromis-baker, Zogby, the Nutt family, and The Prince of Darkness!!!!

  7. Corbett administration top priorities: 1. increase John Brabender’s. net worth. 2. Subsidize corporate cyber school profiteers like Vahan Gerighian, k 12inc, and Pa Cyber school! 3. Make sure UPMC dominates! 4. Reward Mary Beth Buchanan’s husbands shop Buchanan Ingersoll with a lucrative state lobbying contract, which synchronizes state health policy with UPMC! 5. Make sure the gas industry exploits our natural resources and wait for The Market to benefit PA counties with no extraction possibilities! 19. Jobs in Pa! 20. Concern for the majority of citizens not in Governor Brabender’s inner circle!

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