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Dan Mosel
Harrisburg
Pennsylvania's natural gas impact fee continues to prove the doubters wrong. When it was enacted over a decade ago, opponents were convinced that it wouldn't benefit the Commonwealth the way a severance tax might. They insisted that a severance tax -- which would probably just funnel more money into the black hole that is the state's General Fund -- was the better policy option to ensure that Pennsylvanians got their "fair share" of the industry's profits.
But the impact fee has proven otherwise. This fee (which is really a tax in all but name) has continually benefited every county in the state on an annual basis. The funds go towards infrastructure upgrades, road and bridge projects, grants for first responders, as well as improvements to green spaces and public parks. The fact that counties and local governments can steadily rely on these funds each year gives some much-needed breathing room in municipal budgets. Projects like bridge and road repairs, park improvements and public safety upgrades can move forward and benefit communities in the long term. These projects are what make our communities an enticing place to live, work and play.
The natural gas impact fee is an all-around win for the Commonwealth and its residents.