FarmerDave wrote:
jeff wrote:
Couldn't have said it better myself!
I could.
Afish's comments kind of sounded like he wanted to use taxes as a punishment for one certain industry. However, I will agree he had some good points.
Afish... I'm pretty sure the drilling companies are required to have a huge bond or insurance policy to cover an disasters or damage. If so, doesn't that cover the "risks" that you mentioned in the first part as requiring additional taxes? With any industry there are risks. If those risks are covered by required bonds, or insurance policies why should other special tax be required. They certainly shouldn't have to pay any more taxes than the coal industry IMO.
Still haven’t read the link, but I probably will eventually.
Like I said, I do think you have some points. Wear and tear on the roads: How is all that handed for the coal industry, sand and gravel, concrete, lumber etc. Isn’t it covered just by tax on fuel? However it is handled for those, it should be handled the same for gas drillers. Upgrades to water treatment should definitely be covered by the drilling companies. I'm not sure that it isn't, but it definitely should be. It would be required in other states.
I also think the gas companies should have to pay for depletion (or whatever it was called) tax. their taking resources. There was an attempt to add that last year, but I don't know of a compromise was reached.
As far as voting practices, I'm with pcray. Rendell ran up a 4b deficit. IMO the responsible thing to do about it is vote for someone willing to do something about it.
Cuts in spending and tax increase both hurt, but sometimes are necessary.
And another response to the original... I’m sometimes baffled by people who are fascinated by people who think they are voting responsibly instead of selfishly.