Barb Bergeron’s Press Release On Natural Gas Severance Tax

By Emily  

Barbara Bergeron for PA House 155
Press Release

For immediate release
October 4, 2010

State House Candidate Barbara Bergeron Urges State Senate to Pass Severance Tax Bill

Chester Springs, Pa. – State Representative candidate Barbara Bergeron today called on the State Senate to quickly pass Senate Bill 1155, a bill that would provide funding for municipal projects, environmental protection and the General Fund by levying a reasonable tax on the extraction of natural gas from Pennsylvania. The State House passed the bill last week.

The bill passed the House with bipartisan support, with every representative from Chester County except Bergeron’s opponent, Curt Schroder, voting for it. Republican Reps. Chris Ross, Duane Milne and Tim Hennessey all voted to pass the bill.

“Representative Schroder once again sided with big business instead of Pennsylvania taxpayers,” Bergeron said. “He claims to be a moderate and an environmentalist, but he was the only Republican from Chester County to reject this common-sense plan. It is inexcusable for Representative Schroder to force taxpayers to foot the bill for the damaged roads and contaminated water supplies these companies leave behind.”

Pennsylvania is the only major gas-producing state that does not tax big oil and natural gas companies for the natural gas they extract from the ground. Further, because most of these companies are based out of state, they do not pay corporate net income taxes in Pennsylvania. Other states also charge higher permit fees, as well as equipment taxes, transmission taxes and property tax assessments on the value of the gas in the ground – none of which are being pursued here.

“I am glad that the House of Representatives opted to side with Pennsylvania’s taxpayers by voting to stop giving big, out-of-state oil companies a tax break,” Bergeron said.  “This much-needed reform will help protect our environment and create jobs, and it will save taxpayers money by reducing the burden of paying to clean up after this industry.”

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