On Monday, a joint Pennsylvania Senate hearing [watch it live here] will focus on the benefits of safe shale development and the job-destroying impact of even higher energy taxes. Despite some policymakers’ insistence on increasing energy taxes even higher, Pennsylvanians throughout the state – from small businesses to unions and manufacturers to local community officials – are warning Harrisburg leaders that such proposals will hurt our economy and jeopardize shale’s generational opportunities.
Here are five – of the many – even higher energy tax facts to consider prior to Monday’s hearing:
- Cost Pa. Jobs: Even higher energy taxes risk good-paying Pennsylvania jobs – including jobs at the countless small- and medium-sized businesses that support shale’s supply chain. That’s why there’s a wave of voices – from union to small business owners – standing for jobs over higher energy taxes.
- Risk Pa.’s Regional Manufacturing Resurgence: Higher energy taxes threaten our regional manufacturing renaissance and job growth. Thanks to affordable shale gas, “the U.S. has a new competitive advantage” in the global manufacturing sector.
- Sting Consumers: Shale has “improved the economic well-being of consumers by $74 billion per year,” according to the Brookings Institution. But those benefits are at risk, as Wolf has finally acknowledged. In fact, the Independent Fiscal Office confirmed that Pennsylvania consumers and regional manufacturers will shoulder the burden of even higher energy taxes.
- Threaten Family-Supporting Union Jobs: Higher energy taxes “risk hurting employers, workers, and communities across the state,” according to LiUNA’s Dennis Martire.
- Jeopardize Local Benefits: Local officials “fear loss” of impact tax revenues vital to infrastructure and community improvement projects – and know that even higher energy taxes will “hurt local economies.”
As a bonus, lawmakers should remember that Pennsylvania voters support jobs over even higher energy taxes.
- Voter Opinion: According to a recent poll, more than 60 percent of Pa. voters chose energy jobs over higher energy taxes.
To fully harness shale’s game-changing benefits, Pennsylvania lawmakers should work toward commonsense policies that encourage growth and job creation. Become a United Shale Advocate today and join tens of thousands of other Pennsylvanians in letting your voice be heard!
