PennFuture to State Senate:  No excuses on drilling tax

It’s time to keep the promise to pass a severance tax on gas drilling
 
(Harrisburg, PA – October 6, 2010) – As the Pennsylvania Senate is poised to return to Harrisburg for its final three session days this year, Jan Jarrett, president and CEO of Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture) warned these public servants that “there’s no excuse not to pass a drilling tax.”

“Every day that passes without a severance tax is money lost to Pennsylvania’s citizens and communities,” said Jarrett. “Meanwhile, our state budget is strained, Growing Greener funding has all been spent, the Fish and Boat Commission and Game Commission are struggling, and – perhaps worst of all – the municipalities that host the drillers are forced to look under the couch cushions for money to deal with the strain drilling is putting on their communities. This tax is desperately needed, and must be passed next week.

“There are no excuses here,” continued Jarrett. “The House kept its promise to send a severance tax bill to the Senate, and the Senate has several legislative options it can use to make sure it holds up its end of the promise to pass a tax before the senators leave Harrisburg.

“With only three more scheduled Senate session days for the rest of the year, the Senate may be tempted to run out the clock and do the drillers’ bidding by adjourning with no legislation approved,” continued Jarrett. “That is simply unacceptable. Nearly 80 percent of Pennsylvanians – from every region of the state and from all political persuasions – want a severance tax and want one now.

‘It’s time for the Senate to follow the will of the people and pass a robust severance tax now,” continued Jarrett. “It’s time to get it done.”

PennFuture is a statewide public interest membership organization that advances policies to protect and improve the state’s environment and economy. With offices in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, West Chester, and Wilkes-Barre, PennFuture’s activities include litigating cases before regulatory bodies and in local, state and federal courts, advocating and advancing legislative action on a state and federal level, public education and assisting citizens in public advocacy. PennFuture has experts and attorneys, outreach workers and communicators, lobbyists and educators, all working with local groups and citizens across the state to adopt and enforce great public policy. Our motto is “Every environmental victory grows the economy.” The Philadelphia Inquirer called PennFuture the state’s “leading environmental advocacy organization.”

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