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Gov. Wolf advocates for tax that Pennsylvania already has




HARRISBURG, Pa., February 6, 2018 – Associated Petroleum Industries of Pennsylvania (API-PA) Executive Director Stephanie Catarino Wissman issued the following response today to Governor Wolf’s recurring proposal to increase taxes on Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry.  

“Governor Wolf’s campaign speech disregards the existing impact tax,” said API-PA Executive Director Stephanie Catarino Wissman. “This is a tired proposal for a duplicative tax that isn’t about paying one’s fair share or filling a gap in existing revenue opportunities. The benefits that the Governor seeks are already happening.

“To suggest that Pennsylvanians aren’t already realizing the benefits of an energy tax is misleading. Impact tax dollars are helping to fix our roads, fund critical infrastructure projects and invest in our communities, thereby reducing tax burdens on Pennsylvania families. In fact, this year, the natural gas industry is expected to add $219 million in paid impact taxes to the commonwealth, up more than $46 million over the amount collected last year.

“And if that’s not enough, the very industry the Governor wants to tax is in large part responsible, as we’ve seen in the last decade, for helping school districts in the commonwealth save tens of millions of dollars on energy every year – unrelated to the impact tax contributions that we’ve already made.

”It is clear that the existing impact tax is working just as the legislature intended. And yet, once again, Governor Wolf wants to unnecessarily jeopardize investment in all 67 counties. He would raise energy costs on Pennsylvania families, risking jobs while the commonwealth benefits less and less. Our industry wants Pennsylvania to be as competitive as possible; this is not the way to accomplish that goal.”

API-PA is a division of API, which represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 625 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 40 million Americans.

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