Kaufer wants to tax the drillers

120th HD GOP nominee Aaron Kaufer sent out a press release calling for a severance tax on the frackers. I guess he is different kind of Republican so Grover Norquist will not be sending him a Christmas card. Even Tom Corbett won't rule it out as long as he can screw over state employees on their pensions.

Corbett administration won’t ‘rule out’ gas tax this year

Speaking with reporters after the press conference, Corbett’s Budget Secretary, Charles Zogby, was clear that raising taxes on drillers is still on the table.
“There’s multiple options we can look at,” he said. “I’m not ruling out a severance tax.”

Kaufer Calls for Bold Leadership to Pass On-Time, Balanced State Budget

State House candidate Aaron Kaufer urges Governor Tom Corbett to pass a severance

tax to balance the state budget and provide additional funding for public education.

KINGSTON, PA – State House candidate Aaron Kaufer today issued a statement calling on Governor Tom Corbett to provide bold leadership and pass a reasonable severance tax on the natural gas industry to help balance the state budget and provide more funding for public education.

“In order to secure a prosperous future for Pennsylvania and our children, I believe it is critical to enact a reasonable severance tax, like is already done in neighboring states, on natural gas drilling to help address the budget shortfall,” Kaufer said. “In addition, this revenue will enable the state to meet its obligation to fully fund the educational needs of our children and should keep school property taxes in check before legislation can be passed to eliminate them.”

Although Kaufer does not think raising taxes should ever be the first option to meet a budget shortfall, he knows from going door-to-door to thousands of local residents that middle class families and seniors cannot afford to pay more. He also believes our state must remain competitive in attracting good paying energy jobs to Pennsylvania so this severance tax can’t be higher compared to surrounding states.

“In doing so, it is important to consider a few key principles,” Kaufer said. “Pennsylvania must continue to cut wasteful government spending to protect taxpayers. In addition, our state already has the highest taxes on established businesses because of both the corporate net income tax and the capital stock and franchise tax that these companies are required to pay in our state. A reasonable tax on Marcellus Shale drilling can ensure drillers are paying a fair share for the natural resources they are extracting from the Commonwealth while enabling the industry to continue to thrive within our borders.”

He is a little late on this as his opponent Democrat Eileen Cipriani  and Dem Guv candidate Tom Wolf have long favored an extration tax. 

From Cipriani's website:

 
Marcellus Shale

Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that does not tax natural gas, yet it is home to one of the largest natural gas formations in the world, the Marcellus Shale. Pennsylvanians are essentially giving away our natural resource.

While Governor Corbett instituted a local impact fee, the fees collected are only a fraction of what the citizens of Pennsylvania would receive if we enacted a severance tax like other gas producing states have done.

Experts say a 5% severance tax will yield $720 million in its first year, which can be used to fund education and protecting our environment.  It is time we made the gas drilling companies pay their fair share and put Pennsylvanians first!

Petition Day

Tomorrow we should know who is running for what as March 11th is the day to file petitions for the Republican and Democratic primary to be held May 20th. Independents and 3rd party candidates have a bit longer with higher signature requirements.

 So far there might be contested primaries for the Democratic nomination for Governor, Lt. Guv, PA 11th CD, PA 10th CD,  HD  119th and HD 120th. 2 Republicans are reported  to be interested in taking on Matt Cartwright in the PA 17th CD. I will wait until Tuesday to see if the people threatening to run actually file the paperwork.

Blogfest will be Friday, April 25th at the Red Mill in Pittston starting at 6PM. All statewide and local candidates will be invited.


Details on our FB page

Bob Guzzardi for Governor

PoliticsPA is reporting that Montgomery County attorney Bob Guzzardi is asking people to help him gather signatures to get on the Republican ballot for Governor next year. People who follow PA politics know that Guzzardi has donated to many republican candidates and a few Democrats over the last few years. On his recent Facebook posts he talks about the Forgotten Taxpayer and regularly rips GOP lawmakers that have voted to increase spending and debt.


The latest transportation funding bill seems to have pushed him into running saying “Why would you want to be complicit in the nomination of a Promise Breaker to represent you? This is a moment,” Guzzardi wrote.
“The polls tell us that Tom Corbett is very likely to lose and not likely to get better with the Corbett Gas Tax.”

He knows this a long shot and may not even get the 2000 signatures to get on the ballot. 
“Winning is unrealistic,” he said. Instead, he wants to send a message.
“My goal is to mobilize a disaffect grassroots, the Forgotten Taxpayers, who are forced to fund Unions and Government Contractors and Vendors.”

Bob has an informational website and a Wiki page. 

Looking to 2014

As my long time readers know the primary focus of this blog has always been elections. Next year we choose a Governor of the Commonwealth, members of the US House and state House and half the state Senate. In the next few days I will post about these and some races around the country.

PA Gov Tom Cabot Corbett has an uphill climb according to the polls but things can change in the next year and no sitting Guv has lost reelection since they have been allowed to run for a 2nd term. So far there are 8 Dems smelling blood in the water.

The Lt. Governors race is most interesting as I have met most of the Democratic contenders. My early favorite is Brad Koplinski because he sent me a bribe.

Of the 3 local Congressman I keep an eye on only Matt Cartwright has a declared opponent so far. 2 of them in fact. A few people are teasing that they will run against Lou Barletta including Bill Vinsko, Gene Stilp and Chris Carney but I doubt any of them will run. Libetarian Betsy Summers may get into it.

A few weeks ago an old friend called to feel me out about running against Tom Marino in the Republican primary. His rational was Marino is one of the most ethically challenged people to ever hold office.  I had to throw cold water on the idea because his family wasn't behind it and he would need to declare right now and raise at least $100K before the end of the year.


On the state scene Sen. John Yudichak has no declared opponent so far. Neither do Mike Carroll, Phyllis Mundy, Eddie Day Pashinski, Tarah Toohil or Gerry Mullery. I heard a rumor that Mullery may get a primary opponent.

Karen Boback however is being challenged by Laura Dickson. I haven't been this excited about a state rep race since James May took her on.

Rob McCord gets local support

PA Treasurer Rob McCord  is one of the hundred or so people running for Governor next year. He has been rolling out endorsements just like many of the others and he has the backings of some of our local legislators. State Senator John Yudichak and Rep. Mike Carroll from Luzerene County are on board according to PoliticsPA. 

McCord  was the only Guv hopeful that showed up for Yuddy's picnic in August and Eddie Day Pashinski and Mike Carroll were the only local State Reps to make it.

Rob and Yuddy having a laugh

A few neighbors from our north are also on board. Sen. John Blake and Reps. Kevin Haggerty and Sid Michaels-Kavulich.

McCord also rolled out the endorsements of 20 PA state party chairs but our own Luzerne County guy Bob Boyer was not one of them.It was interesting that 5 prospective Democratic Guv candidates made it to the Luzerne County Democratic picnic but McCord wasn't one of them. Yuddy also skipped it. A scheduling conflict I'm sure.

Most endorsements are only good for a press release unless they bring in money or boots on the ground. That is why union endorsements are so important in a Democratic primary We will see if Yuddy can deliver either or both and become a latter day Marty Murray as the Yonk speculates.

Play by play from the State Democratic Committee meeting.

PoliticsPA has rundown of what Governor candidates are doing to woo the faithful at this weekends get together.

 David Diano  tells you what really is going on:


At the dessert event, candidates for the 13th and for Lt Gov were trying to give speeches, but the acoustics were terrible and everyone was milling around and talking. It was a waste of time for the candidates, as no one but their own staffers paid the slightest attention. They did better just working the room one on one.

I finally got to meet Tom Wolf. Seemed like a nice guy. I didn’t even bother with the Schwartz staffers who were wearing candidate t-shirts over regular shirts, while mostly everyone else was dressed for success, and just had a few buttons or stickers. Except for the head fundraiser, the staff just seems like amateur hour and like they showed up at the wrong event by accident.

McGinty seems very nice. If she is able to raise enough money, I think she will do well in first-person commercials explaining why she is running. When Kane ran, she explained herself and did well. Murphy had surrogates (the usual suspects) in his commercials. We know how that turned out. McGinty has a similar quality to Kane in the direct way she speaks.

I didn’t even waste my time with Pawlowski and his tiny entourage. No one I talked to could figure out why he was wasting his time running. The two leading theories were
1) that the illusion of a Gov run would give him leverage in backroom deals in Allentown
2) that this was a way to filter money to his cronies by having them pretend they were running a Gov campaign.

If anyone has a better theory, I’d like to hear it, because we are all pretty stumped about what he is really up to. Of course, it’s possible he’s actually dumb enough to think he has a chance, but I doubt it because he does have opposable thumbs and can walk upright. So, it must be something else.
I saw Rob McCord. He was laughing and enjoying himself. I’m guessing the Teamsters endorsement was part of it. People were commenting how Rob timed it just right for his announcement. I think those “McCord for Gov” stickers had been gathering dust for months. 

Rob is pretty popular with Delco and Montco crowd, so he was in his element.
Oh, yeah, and it seems like a lot of people are following Politics PA, because they recognized my name from here. 

Katy McGinty for Governor

I get a lot of unsolicited emails from candidates but this is the first one from a PA Governor hopeful.That tells me she has a really good campaign staff that understands the value of digital media.In other words,  she has a couple of geeks helping out.

As a candidate for governor, I would like to share with you my ideas on how we can build a better Pennsylvania.

I believe it’s time for a change.

Under Governor Corbett, Pennsylvania is 46^th in job growth. Education cuts have hurt our schools. College costs are soaring. Healthcare is too expensive. Environmental laws have been weakened, while the Governor’s polices have attacked women’s health and privacy.

We can do better.

I am running for governor to create jobs and improve the lives of Pennsylvania families. Learn more about my campaign for governor at katiemcginty.com

I grew up the ninth of 10 children to a hard-working Philadelphia police officer and a restaurant hostess. Worked my way through college and law school. Served as Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Clinton and Vice President Gore.

I was the first woman to head the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, where I helped attract clean energy companies to our state, a billion dollars in new investment, and helped create 3,000 jobs. As a business executive in the private sector, I have championed clean energy and clean water projects.

I believe Pennsylvania should be a leading state, not a lagging one.

With an unparalleled work force, abundant natural resources, and world class universities, Pennsylvania should be driving the renaissance of manufacturing in the United States. We should be leading in life sciences and biotechnology. Our farmers should be competing for new markets around the world. And, we should be creating clean energy jobs by developing Pennsylvania’s energy resources, while protecting our air and water.

As the mother of three daughters, I know Pennsylvania is only as strong as its families. It’s time for a governor who puts families first by making sure every worker earns a fair wage, every child gets a quality education, every qualified child can afford college, and every family has access to quality health care.

It will take all of us working together to make it happen. And it will take a new leader to get it all started. With more than 25 years experience as a government and business leader, who has created jobs and supported the development of new energy resources, while protecting our environment, I’m ready to get to work for all of Pennsylvania.

To follow our campaign, please “Like” and “Follow” us on Facebook

and Twitter today. It’s an easy way for me to hear your ideas and for you to get campaign updates and more.  

I

Join our effort.

Together, let’s build a brighter future for all Pennsylvanians.

Sincerely,

Katie McGinty

Rob McCord for Governor

It looks like I have a bit of a scoop and didn't realize it. State Treasurer Rob McCord is running for Governor although he hasn't made an official announcement yet. McCord was at Yuddy's picnic yesterday and looked and sounded like a Guv candidate. KP picked up on a subtle change to his website today.

More pics at my FB page

Who's running for Governor?

Reading the tea leaves of  PoliticsPA reporting of the Pennsylvania Society meetup in New York this past weekend it looks like about 37 people are floating the the idea of running for Governor of Pennsylvania. Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor said he was thinking of primary challenge to Tom Corbett. He is the only Republican name thrown out there so far other than the usual cranks.

Democrat John Hanger has already declared that he is the race .Bob Casey and Allyson Schwartz are not. Former Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper and  PA State Senator Mike Stack said they are looking at the race. PA Treasurer Rob McCord will will be a candidate and possibly Joe Sestak and Patrick Murphy. More to come.

A couple events caught my eye.

On Saturday :

Congressman Lou Barletta’s Holiday Reception
2:00pm – 5:00pm
O’Neill’s Irish Bar
729 3rd Avenue
RSVP Required

I wasn't invited and that makes me sad. I'm the biggest non supporter of Lou in these parts who actually likes the guy. I'll buy him dinner at Dominick's Cafe.


The rumor is that the Mean Old Man  and Professor Milburn Cleaver, OPA made it to this gathering.

  5th Annual Bolshevik Dinner
7:00pm
The Russian Vodka Room
By invitation only

The best roundup of the PA Society weekend came from my 2nd favorite state legislator (Phyllis is still in the lead) Daylin Leach.

PA Society Chronicles – 2012

 

= I’m running for Governor, but not of Pennsylvania.
= I’m running for Congress.
= I’m running for the Bundestag.
= Pat Toomey has asked me to be his Vice-Senator.
= Governor Corbett calls me his ‘little minx’”.
= I once shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.
= My CIA nick-name is “Danger Hunk”.

 

Pennsylvania Society in New York

The 114th annual Pennsylvania Society get together is being held this weekend in midtown Manhattan.  There are many black tie invitation only high priced events for the politically connected who get to rub elbows with a gaggle of possible candidates for Governor in 2014.

 The Full 2012 PA Society List of Events

  If you can't make it to New York there is another event in Harrisburg that sounds like fun.

8^th ANNUAL PEOPLE'S SOCIETY DINNER TO PROVIDE PICTURE PLACE

SETTINGS FOR THOSE LEGISLATORS WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN PRISON

(Harrisburg, PA) The 8^th Annual People's Society Dinner will take place in the East Wing Rotunda on Friday, December 7^th. Starting at 3 p.m. a table will be set for the eight former legislators who are currently serving time for their abuses of the Pennsylvania taxpayer. The individual pictures will be prominently featured.

Picture place settings will be set for Senator Jane Orie, Representative Brett Feese, Senator Robert Mellow, Representative Bill Deweese, Representative Stephen Stettler, Representative Mike Veon, Representative John Perzel, and Senator Vince Fumo,

“Instead of being served at a dinner, each is serving time for their crimes against the Pennsylvania taxpayer,” said Eric Epstein of Rock the Capital.

The People's Society Dinner has taken place every year since 2005. It was started in response to the Pennsylvania Society Dinner which is taking place this weekend in New York City.

Mr. Epstein said, “All the Pennsylvania politicians that want to get contributions from the largest corporations and lobby firms that control Pennsylvania will be in New York City with their hands out begging for financial contributions to their campaigns.”

A Kenyan wants your vote

No, not that guy but a real one.

MC: Hanger, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was born in Kenya, where his farmer father worked for the British Foreign Service helping develop coffee and tea farms. The family moved to Ireland in 1963, and Hanger came to the United States in 1970.

Actually he was born a subject of Queen Elizabeth, God save her. So Donald Trump doesn't have to worry about him running for President.

 I like some of his policy positions.

CC: Here's where Hanger stands on other hot button issues:
Marriage equality: for it
Medical marijuana: for it
Abortion rights: for it

I know that some of  my anti-fracking friends  don't trust him.

This is what he had to say on his blog.

John Hanger's Facts of The Day

I announce today my candidacy for Governor of Pennsylvania and will be doing press conferences in Philadelphia and Harrisburg.  Tomorrow, I will be in Pittsburgh for a press conference there.
Pennsylvania is an energy powerhouse and soon will produce the third most energy among the states.  Pennsylvania will trail only Texas and Wyoming--two states with no state income tax--in total energy production.
Despite the Marcellus gas boom and falling national unemployment, Pennsylvania's economy is struggling.  For the first time in years, Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was higher than the national unemployment rate in both September and October. Pennsylvania's rate of job creation that was among the highest in the nation in 2010 has fallen to among the lowest.
Our struggles are rooted in a mismanagement of Pennsylvania's tremendous energy resources, failed economic development policies that rely almost exclusively on the natural gas industry, and disastrous education policies.  Pennsylvania's  schools since 2011 have lost 19,000 jobs, and school taxes have increased in many communities, after a $1 billion cut in state funding in the 2011-2012 budget.
Those budget cuts to public schools, universities, and colleges were choices made and not unavoidable. For example, the 2011-12 state budget included hundreds of millions of dollars for the Rainy Day Fund, hundreds of millions of dollars for corporate tax cuts, and about $250 million to 14 cyber charter schools, even though 13 have reading and math scores below the average of a traditional public school.
Not surprisingly, with fewer teachers, higher class sizes, lost tutoring programs and courses, Pennsylvania's school test scores declined.  Those Pennsylvanians who are also paying higher school taxes, as a result of the 2011-12 budget cuts, are paying more for education and getting less value.
In the coming campaign, I look forward to listening to Pennsylvanians and proposing solutions to our problems.  I also invite you to visit www.hangerforgovernor.com and to support my campaign. 

 
I'm not backing any 2014 Guv candidate until I hear from Joe Sestak and Patrick Murphy. 

 
He has a get together scheduled next weekend at the Pennsylvania Society shindig in NYC.

John Hanger for Governor Reception
2:00pm – 5:00pm
The offices of Winston & Strawn
MetLife Building
200 Park Avenue, 43rd Floor

The 43rd floor would probably give me a nose bleed.

John Hanger for Governor

Campaigns keep starting earlier. Sure you start laying the groundwork running for any office but actually making an announcement 2 years out is relatively new.

Pennlive: John Hanger, a 55-year-old Harrisburg lawyer, will make a stop in Harrisburg on Wednesday to announce his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2014. He will start off in Philadelphia then travel to Pittsburgh. A visit to Erie, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Allentown in the near future should be high on his list. 

He works for the law firm of Eckert Seamans:  John served from 2008 to 2011 as the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Chair of the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, the Chair of the Environmental Quality Board, Vice Chairman of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure and Investment Authority, and a Commissioner of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. He also chaired the Pennsylvania Mine Safety Board. In 2010, for the first time in Pennsylvania’s history, no miners died on the job.

As Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, John was in charge of permitting and regulation of gas drilling in Pennsylvania. He led a complete review of regulations governing gas drilling and enacted major new rules governing drilling of wells as well as the withdrawal of water for drilling and the disposal of drilling wastewater. 

And he's a Blogger!
  
John Hanger's Facts of The Day

Philly businessman Tom Knox has also said he intends to run. 

Other possible candidates include York businessman Tom Wolf; Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski; state Treasurer Rob McCord; retiring state Auditor General Jack Wagner, and former U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak.

Tom Corbett can be beat.