Area Agencies Calling for More Taxes on Gas Drilling

According to a story on PhillyBurbs.com, representatives of several area social service agencies joined Norristown Area School District Superintendent Dr. Janet Samuels and state Sen. Daylin Leach in calling for an increase in natural gas drilling fees to help fund struggling public services whose budgets have been cut.

The group spoke Thursday morning on the steps of the at a press conference sponsored by Better Choices for Pennsylvania, a coalition different organizations looking to restore state funding for public services like education, social services and transportation.

According to PhillyBurbs.com, Beth Sturman, executive director of Laurel House told those in attendance her organization needed help in serving the women and children who are victims of domestic violence because as costs have risen over the years, state subsidies for programs like Laurel House have been cut.

“A strong gas drilling tax bill would help fill funding gaps not only for Laurel House and domestic violence agencies throughout the Commonwealth but also for those offering the supportive services to which we often refer people,” said Sturman.

Leach told the audience he voted against the Senate bill passed last week that would create a fee roughly equal to a 2.2% tax on each well being drilled in the Marcellus Shale (other states like Texas and West Virginia have fees closer 6 according to PhillyBurbs.com) and said the bill in the House was even worse.

“This is unacceptable,” said Leach. “We are leaving hundreds of millions of dollars on the table.”

Read more about this issue on PhillyBurbs.com.