Taxes & Economy

Are Gas Drillers Paying Their “Fair Share”?

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • November 14, 2011

The Scranton Times-Tribune and the Patriot-News criticize HB 1950 (the natural gas fee proposal) for not taxing gas drillers enough, yet fail to include basic information about…

Media

Read More: Are Gas Drillers Paying Their “Fair Share”?

Regulation

Understanding the Proposed Gallonage Tax

  • Nathan Benefield
  • August 16, 2011

Rep. Mike Turzai’s proposal to get state government out of the business of selling liquor (HB 11) would replace current alcohol taxes and fees with a “gallonage tax.” This…

Media

Read More: Understanding the Proposed Gallonage Tax

State Budget

Pennsylvania’s $1.9 Billion Budget Shortfall

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 1, 2011

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released preliminary FY 2010-11 revenue collection. Their statement says: Fiscal year 2010-11 General Fund collections totaled $27.5 billion, which is $785.5 million,…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania’s $1.9 Billion Budget Shortfall

Taxes & Economy

The Real Victims of a Severance Tax

  • June 7, 2011

Jim VanBlarcom, a busy Bradford County dairy farmer, set a work day aside to come to Harrisburg and tell his story to Gov. Tom Corbett's Marcellus Shale panel. Royalty money…

Commentary

Read More: The Real Victims of a Severance Tax

Regulation

The Phony “Surplus”

  • Nathan Benefield, Richard Dreyfuss
  • June 2, 2011

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released May General Fund tax collection data, and many lawmakers are clamoring to spend this “surplus”. But the idea there is any “surplus” is…

Media

Read More: The Phony “Surplus”

Energy

Natural Gas Taxes and Fees

  • May 5, 2011

The Marcellus Shale is a large and difficult-to-drill geological formation roughly a mile or more underground throughout more than two-thirds of Pennsylvania that contains natural gas.

Fact Sheet

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Taxes & Economy

Natural Gas Industry Paid Over $1 Billion in Taxes

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 3, 2011

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released detailed numbers, showing oil and gas producers paid over $1.1 billion in state taxes since 2006. This includes $234 million paid this…

Media

Read More: Natural Gas Industry Paid Over $1 Billion in Taxes

Taxes & Economy

Fact-Checking on Natural Gas Taxes in PA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 27, 2011

Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center’s new report alleging the natural gas industry doesn’t pay taxes goes beyond misleading readers to using inaccurate information in order to jeer support for a…

Media

Read More: Fact-Checking on Natural Gas Taxes in PA

State Budget

Understanding the Pennsylvania State Budget

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 7, 2011

Pennsylvania's total state operating budget for FY 2010-11 is approximately $65.4 billion-or $5,193 for every man, woman and child in the commonwealth.  This policy brief looks at the entire state…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Understanding the Pennsylvania State Budget