Harrisburg – March 9, 2011 – Sen. Jim Brewster today provided the following reaction to Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget address:
“While spending cuts and better spending practices will need to occur at every government level, we must resist ‘passing the buck’ to local governments and school districts. The governor’s proposed budget cuts to education would force municipalities to raise taxes to make up for the loss of state funding to their school districts.
“This is the time to focus on new revenue. One way to do this is to tax the drilling companies extracting gas from Marcellus Shale across the commonwealth. There are approximately 5,800 permitted wells across Pennsylvania and we are the only major gas-producing state without a severance tax.
“A few weeks ago, my Democratic colleagues and I proposed a six-point plan aimed at stoking our economy and creating jobs while reducing state spending. We must put people to work. The democratic package, “PA Works,” would help small businesses be more competitive, strengthen and streamline workforce training programs, make targeted investments in clean and green energy industries, invest in public works projects, save money by streamlining government programs and lower small business taxes.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the months ahead to pass a budget that spurs economic development, and protects our public schools and local municipalities.”
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