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Senate Democrats Outline Budget Goals For 2010-11, Including Natural Gas Severance Tax
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Senate Democrats this week held a press conference outlining their priorities for the coming 2010-11 budget discussions highlighting the need to get a budget done on time and without a broad-based tax increased. Senate Appropriations Minority Chair Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said there must be serious conversations about the adoption of a natural gas production severance tax to fund environmental programs, in particular he mentioned Growing Greener and Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund.
Senate Minority Leader Robert Mellow (D-Lackawanna) said Senate Democrats would not support a severance tax that was just deposited in the General Fund. He said it has to return funding to the communities involved in drilling and to fund environmental programs.
Sen. Costa also said revenue from the leasing of more State Forest land for Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling was already incorporated into the two-year budget spreadsheet last year. He noted leasing this year resulted in more income than expected so there needs to be a conversation about how to include that income in the overall budget calculations.
Legislators and the Governor are counting on $180 million from State Forest natural gas leasing to help balance the 2010-11 budget. $60 million from leasing revenue leasing was taken to help balance the 2009-10 budget, $43 million was taken to fund the 2008-09 budget and $174 million was used to fill a budget hole in 2007-08.
The most recent State Forest lease by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources took in $128.3 million, $68 million more than was expected, which could be applied for the obligation in the next budget if the agreement holds.
The complete announcement is available online.
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2/8/2010 |
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