Editor, The News:
Pennsylvania’s existing tax on natural gas development — the impact fee — is a policy solution that’s working as designed. This fact was unfortunately missing from a July 24 article (“Governor’s proposed plan to fix blight and internet availability in city”) covering the Wolf administration’s plan that would triple-tax energy development in Pennsylvania.
Millions of dollars in impact tax revenue has directly benefitted Lawrence County and its municipalities.
Locally, impact tax funding has been directed to the Wampum Station Junction a Cultural & Recreation Center, the Downtown Pedestrian River Walk, and the Camp Allegheny Improvement Project, to name a few important projects.
Across the Commonwealth, in fact, impact tax revenues help communities in all 67 counties improve parks, build roads and bridges, and fund first-responder services, to name a few.
Pennsylvania has a generational opportunity to leverage this low-cost, abundant shale resource into long-term economic growth and environmental progress.
Additional energy taxes, as Governor Wolf proposes, will cost consumers and hurt local jobs, especially among the building and labor trades. We will continue to work with leaders in Harrisburg on tax and regulatory policy solutions that will ensure a brighter future for the entire commonwealth.
David Spigelmyer
Marcellus Shale Coalition
Click here to view this letter online.
