Jayge Against the Machine

“Voters support, 63-28 percent, a new tax on companies drilling for natural gas in Marcellus Shale. That includes a 53-38 percent support among Republicans, Voters also support, by a large margin — 78-17 percent — a proposed fee on drilling companies with proceeds used to reimburse communities for the impact of drilling.” - Pittsburgh Post Gazette

I’ve been saying for some time that I think the fair way to promote job growth and regulate Shale is to levy both an impact fee and a severance tax. Obviously, in Harrisburg, this would be a non-starter - the majority of talk has shifted to a yearly impact fee.

Beyond protecting against the local impact on the environment and infrastructure, I believe Pennsylvania should treat natural gas as Alaska treats oil: pay us to take it from under our feet. After all with oil and gas companies making record profits, doesn’t it make sense for Pennsylvanians to have a share?