Natural gas development has sent a wave of new economic activity and opportunity into Pennsylvania small businesses across the industry’s supply chain. These positive, far-reaching benefits were highlighted in a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review column this week by the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council’s chief economist Raymond Keating.
In his column, Keating notes that between 2005 and 2012, establishments supporting oil and gas operations with less than 20 workers grew by 173.3 percent, and those with less than 500 workers grew by 236.4 percent. What couldn’t be more clear, adds Keating, is that the “energy sector in Pennsylvania is dominated by small businesses.”
Despite shale’s positive local benefits for communities across the entire Commonwealth, some in Harrisburg want to pass even higher energy taxes that will sting consumers and hurt small businesses. Here’s what just several, of the many, small businesses are saying about even higher energy taxes:
“If I could say one thing to the politicians in Harrisburg about the gas tax, ‘Don’t do it.’”
(Click HERE to watch)
We need “policies that promote job growth,
rather than proposing new taxes that make it harder to develop natural gas.”
(Click HERE to watch)
Join these small businesses, local residents and union members today by becoming a United Shale Advocate. With your help, we can unite in support of new jobs and a brighter future for our Commonwealth.
