No Wells? No Worries! York County Continues to Benefit from Natural Gas

July 1, 2020

YORK – A former feed mill in York County, once used as a prop for Gov. Tom Wolf’s severance tax tour, is being torn down despite the absence of a severance tax on Pennsylvania’s natural gas consumers. To date, York County has received nearly $3.5 million dollars, including more than $378,000 it received today, in impact fees from taxes on unconventional gas wells in Pennsylvania despite there not being a well in the county.

The House Republican delegation from York County, which includes House Appropriations Chair Stan Saylor (R-Red Lion) and Reps. Kate Klunk (R-Hanover), Seth Grove (R-Dover), Dawn Keefer (R-Dillsburg) and Mike Jones (R-York Township) issued the following statement:

“A little over a year ago, Gov. Tom Wolf used the old, dilapidated mill along Richland Avenue, just outside of the York Expo Center, as the backdrop for a big media event to discuss imposing yet another tax on Pennsylvanians. Wolf said adding a severance tax on top of the current impact fee on natural gas energy was needed to improve infrastructure and address blight.

“Since then, however, work has begun to tear down the blighted old mill. It is being done without a severance tax but through the private sector. All the while, York County residents reap the benefits of the impact fee to the tune of $3.5 million over the course of the past nine years.

“Wolf has continually pushed for a severance, or energy tax, since he took office. At first, it was schemed to fund education, then the state pension debt and then to fill budget gaps. Over the last year, he travelled the state, promising communities money for any and all projects.

“Specifically, Wolf’s most recent severance tax plan would borrow billions of dollars to be spent today and paid back with the new energy tax over 20 or so years. Wolf’s borrow, tax and spend scheme would only lead to future generations of Pennsylvanians paying off billions of dollars in principle and interest debt.

“Each time the governor proposed a way to spend taxpayers’ money through his severance tax, the House came up with ways to address the Commonwealth’s real financial needs using existing revenues and not raising taxes on hard-working residents.

“There is never a good time to impose a new tax, and now is especially not the time as Pennsylvania families find their finances wrecked by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is why we will continue to stand against the governor’s plan to impose yet another tax. Join us in saying ‘No’ to new taxes.”

York County Republican Delegation
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com