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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski |
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Pashinski votes to stop tax on volunteer fire departments, veterans' organizations, culture groups and local arts
HARRISBURG, Oct. 4 – State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Luzerne, said he voted for legislation passed by the state House of Representatives that would make changes to the tentative budget agreement to close Pennsylvania's $3.2 billion deficit.
The House voted to eliminate a proposed tax on volunteer fire departments and other community organizations that raise money through small games of chance. Pashinski said the House-passed bill also would eliminate a proposed tax on admissions to arts and cultural events, such as performances, museums and zoos. It also would reduce the financial pressure on the state to lease more acres of state forest land for natural gas drilling, land that important to hunters, anglers and tourists.
Pashinski said the House-passed bill would instead establish a 30 percent tax on smokeless and other non-cigarette tobacco products, as well as increase the cigarette tax by 25 cents per pack. Closing Pennsylvania's tobacco tax loopholes by ending Pennsylvania's status as the only state that does not impose a tax on smokeless tobacco or cigars would garner approximately $38 million to $70 million per year.
The amended bill would also implement a severance tax on natural gas extracted from the state's Marcellus Shale formation.
"These are extremely difficult times and none of us want to raise any tax, but I cannot see a reason to tax veterans' organizations, volunteer fire companies, museums, zoos and cultural events while allowing the gas industry to enter our state forests and extract hundreds of millions of cubic feet of Marcellus Shale gas without paying their fair share," Pashinski said. "The gas is worth hundreds of billions of dollars and the money is desperately needed to help the people of Pennsylvania."
The Luzerne County lawmaker said several other states such as Ohio and West Virginia already impose a severance tax on natural gas drilling, which brings in millions of dollars in revenue.
The bill now returns to the state Senate.