It's a gas,tax

The PA House of Representatives finally got around to passing a Severance tax on the Marcellus Shale drillers that are in the process of creating a slow motion environmental disaster in Pennsylvania.


TL: The Pennsylvania House on Wednesday approved a bill that would impose the state’s first-ever tax on natural gas extraction, advancing a plan to split the proceeds among the state’s general fund, environmental programs and local governments....The 104-94 vote was a major step toward collecting revenue from the drilling boom in a wide swath of the state that overlays the Marcellus Shale gas formation.

What Does Severance Tax Mean?
A tax imposed on the removal of nonrenewable resources such as crude oil, condensate and natural gas, coalbed methane and carbon dioxide.

But they came up with a convoluted formula on how to use the proceeds as this chart from the Commonwealth Foundation documents. This should be a lot simpler with money going into the general fund and the remainder being dedicated to the DEP to deal with the inspection, regulation and inevitable clean up operations from this activity. But just like the slots money that was sold as a way to reduce property taxes our salons in Harrisburg look on this as another pot of gold to be spread around.

Predictably, Republicans are objecting as their world view seems to be there should not be any taxes on businesses of any kind. Nobody likes paying taxes but as a wise man once said "Taxes are the price we pay for civilization." I think the Yonk would agree with that.

The industry has no problem spreading around campaign cash instead of paying taxes. Since 2001 they have dropped $3 million into political campaigns and spent another $5 million for lobbying.

According to the website Marcellus Money, the top recipients of driller campaign cash during the past decade include: Attorney General and GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett ($372,000), Lt. Gov./Senate GOP leader Joseph Scarnati ($117,000), Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell ($84,000), Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato ($74,000).

Local lawmakers receiving contributions include Senate Minority Leader Robert Mellow, D-Peckville ($7,000), Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township ($1,500), Sen. John Gordner, R-Berwick ($1,300), House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Butler Township ($1,250), Rep. Ed Staback, D-Archbald ($500), Rep. John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke ($250) and Rep. Karen Boback, R-Harveys Lake ($250)

Boback gave back the money. Good for her.

The production of gas from the Marcellus Shale has exceeded the expectations of the industry itself so these warnings that a tax on them will drive them out of the state is nonsense. The gas is under our feet and if they want it they will pay a fair premium to the people of Pennsylvania.

TWO DEBATE DATES SET FOR PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATE DISTRICT 22

OLD FORGE PENNSYLVANIA. Two October dates are set for debates between Democrat candidate John Blake and Republican candidate Frank Scavo. Both are in contention for the State Senate seat of Robert Mellow, District 22.

The first debate, sponsored by the League of Women voters of Lackawanna County, will be held on Tuesday, October 12Th at 7:00 pm in the Pearn Auditorium (2ND floor) in the University of Scranton's Brennan Hall on Madison avenue. This will be a taped interview and air on ECTV.

The second debate, sponsored by WVIA, TV 44, is Tuesday, October 26Th at 7:00 PM. The debate will be held at the WVIA TV 44 studios and air live the same night. Seating is available for this live debate and can be reserved by calling the candidates or WV IA prior to the debate date.


"I applaud the League of Women Voters of Lackawanna county and WVIA TV for offering their forums for this critical election. I also believe the two debates will show the sharp distinction between the Harrisburg insider mindset versus that of the non governmental, private sector conservative approach to government. With recent defeats of the establishment candidates, the outlook for change here in Northeast Pennsylvania is at a peak, and the best it has ever been" stated candidate Scavo.



Frank Scavo
State Senate candidate, District 22

Feds visit Bob Mellow

Update: FBI, IRS investigating Sen. Mellow

The FBI and Internal Revenue Service are investigating state Senate Democratic Leader Robert J. Mellow for unspecified illegal activity, FBI spokesman Frank Burton Jr. said today.

The agencies were executing search warrants at Mellow's home in Archbald and at his legislative office in Peckville, said Burton, an FBI spokesman in Philadelphia


Republican candidate Frank Scavo just sent this press release:

State Senatorial Candidate Frank Scavo issued the following statement after the federal raid of the interests of State Senator Bob Mellow (D-22):


“The raid on both Senator Bob Mellow’s home and office is yet another black eye for Northeastern Pennsylvania . Once again, a negative light is cast upon our area. Obviously, this investigation has to run its course and I have the full faith and confidence in our law enforcement professionals to see that this is done properly and without bias.

“However, John Blake was hand-picked by Senator Mellow himself to replace him in the Senate. I think the voters of the 22nd District demand and deserve to know the extent of Mr. Blake’s relationship with Senator Mellow and whether or not Mr. Blake still proudly accepts Mr. Mellow’s endorsement.”

10th CD happenings

I attended the annual Kiss the Blarney for Carney event on Sunday along with a couple of hundred other people. Despite being to subjected to bagpipe music it was a good time. Many local Lackawanna County elected officials and candidates were in attendance along with reps from Senator Specter's office. I chatted with a few including State Rep Jim Wansascz who is running for State Senate to succeed Bob Mellow.

Carney asked me for my assessment of the race and I told him that I think he is in good shape. I'll repeat it again; Challengers don't win elections, Incumbents lose them. He hasn't done anything to lose this thing. Addressing the Health Care Reform bill in his remarks to the crowd he pointed out that we can't continue with the status quo. Something has to be done to get costs under control and insurance companies can't be in charge of who gets health care in this country. I offered my observation that he voted for it once because it was the right thing to do and his Republican opponents will howl about it but if he now voted no on the bill he becomes John Kerry, I voted for it before I voted against it.

He was little iffy on the FRAC ACT but assured the crowd that he was in favor of clean drinking water. He made the national security argument that the US has to off foreign oil. I'll keep bending his ear on this one. There is no reason this should be excluded from the the Clean Water Act and I'm sure that Kayak Dude can make that case.

I asked him about some of the other races this year. I was surprised that he endorsed Manan Trividi in the 6th CD primary against Doug Pike. His 2006 campaign manager is running Pike's campaign but Chris was adamant in his support for fellow military officer Trividi. As far as the Paul Kanjorski-Corey O'Brien race he said "I serve with Congressman Kanjorski" and supports him. 2 years ago O'Brien and fellow Lackawanna Commissioner Mike Washo showed up for the event but were not to be seen this time nor were any of Kanjo's people.

A real treat was meeting the author of NEPArtisan and we plotted another blogger meetup. For some strange reason he really wants to meet the Blogfather. I'll call Mark tomorrow and try to set up a meeting of his fan club and coordinate with the Northeast Blogging Council and the Saturday OT Committee to find an agreeable date.

The Republican candidates had an event in Lewisburg yesterday before 50 people. The tax cut triplets of Tom Marino, Malcolm Derk and Dave Madeira made it but Steven Solieri and young Ted Yale were no shows. Just a guess but I don't think that Yale or Solieri will make the ballot.

The Republican candidates all decry deficit spending but offer no realistic solutions to cutting the federal budget putting large portions of the budget off limits. At the same time they all advocated cutting taxes. Maybe they all need course in remedial mathematics.

I'm not going to pick it all apart so read these press write-ups.


Carney out of touch, Republicans say



Candidates lay out issues at forum

Jim Wansacz

The PA 22nd Senate district is mostly in Lackawanna County with a slice of Monroe and just 3 Luzerne County towns-Avoca, Dupont and Duryea. With so many state legislature races in Luzerne County I have to draw the line somewhere so I won't be putting in a lot of time covering this one. Fellow blogger NEPArtisan has been following the twist and turns since Bob Mellow announced his retirement who will have to scrape by on a $300K a year pension. It must be nice to write the laws governing your own retirement.

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Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty dropped his bid to be Governor

and now wants to be the State Senator from this district seems to be the frontrunner. Former Lackawanna Commissioner Joe Corcoran got the Democratic Party endorsement for whatever that is worth and 2 others are in the race.

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Which brings me to 114th District State Rep Jim Wansascz who wants to be a State Senator. He is getting beat up over the per diem thing but is open to changing rules about them as he explained to the Scranton Public Policy Examiner. I met Jim today and thanked him for including me on his press list. He requested that I publish his press releases and I'm happy to oblige. The one question I forgot to ask was "Do you think you can beat Frank Scavo in the fall"?

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Jim doesn't have a campaign website up yet but he is on Facebook. His state rep site is http://www.pahouse.com/Wansacz/

WANSACZ FIRST TO FILE FOR 22nd SENATORIAL DISTRICT

On Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010, Representative Jim Wansacz filed in excess of 2,000 signatures for the 22nd Senatorial District. Wansacz was the first candidate to file and plans on submitting supplementary signatures before the March 9th deadline.

“I am encouraged by the outpouring of support I have had since announcing my intention to run for the Pennsylvania State Senate,” Wansacz said. “This is a testament to the dedication of my volunteers who have made a tremendous effort to obtain these signatures in the face of the weather we’ve recently experienced.”

While several candidates having announced their intentions of running for the seat, only Wansacz has submitted the requisite signatures for inclusion on the Democratic ballot this May 19th. State law requires the filing of 500 signatures of qualified electors within the party and District of the seat.

“This is the beginning of a long campaign, one we intend on focusing on what matters most to the people of the 22nd District,” said Wansacz. “I look forward to discussing the issues that affect our every day lives; job creation, property taxes, education and preserving our environment.”

Mellow out

HARRISBURG -- Sen. Robert J. Mellow, D-Peckville, the Pennsylvania State Senate’s longest-serving member and its highest-ranking Democrat, announced today that he will not seek re-election.


“It has been my profound personal honor to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. It has literally been my life’s work. I am deeply grateful for the trust that my friends and neighbors from northeastern Pennsylvania have shown me by electing and re-electing me to work for them. We have accomplished many great things together,” Mellow said in a statement.

Bob Mellow and Blue Cross

A guest post from my old friend Carl Romanelli.


Conflict of interest is about the most mild term that comes to mind when one thinks of Pennsylvania State Senator, Bob Mellow's post on the Blue Cross Board of Directors. Now to say this is a conflict, well no, it is the ultimate conflict of our interest. In an age when so many Pennsylvanians have no healthcare at all, while BC and other private insurance companies reap record profits, and reform is loaded in the campaign rhetoric of the political candidates; we have Bob Mellow as the Blues inside man. How on earth can we expect Senator Mellow to take seriously the legislation that is before him, like SB 300 (single payer healthcare of PA) when he receives blood money from Blue Cross?


What about mergers, reimbursement, and regulation? Worse, when caught all Mellow can say is that he sees no problem. Well certainly not problems for Bob's bank account.


In Pennsylvania Blue Cross is about the third most powerful lobby, right behind PNC bank and Blank Rome, LLC. Imagine, your state senator serving on the board of a lobby, a PAC, all while taking salary and benefits from the taxpayer in excess of $100,000.00 per year, plus pension. Yet, so many love these frauds like Mellow, Casey, Kanjorski, Shimkus, and the rest of their ilk. True to my radical callings, I protest these phonies and long for the day voters truly vote their interest instead of reinstalling those whose only link to NEPA mining is their mining of our tax dollars for their own selfish agenda.


Carl Romanelli/Luzerne County Green Party