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Governor, Legislators Begin To Outline Fall Legislative Agenda: Marcellus Shale
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In interviews this week Gov. Corbett said his Fall legislative agenda would be, no surprise: privatization of liquor stores, funding transportation infrastructure, school choice legislation and Marcellus shall funding.
House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) took the opportunity in his press conference announcing his liquor privatization bill to say liquor privatization would be his priority issue for the fall. No surprise there. On Marcellus Shale issues, a spokesperson for Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) said the Governor's Marcellus Shale Commission recommendations will not have a major role in shaping whatever legislation reaches the Governor's desk.
Capitolwire.com reported the staffer as saying, "There's going to be significant legislative independence on this moving forward. How that plays out exactly, we don't know yet. we don't have any sense of what the Commission is going to recommend. We've had virtually no contact with them.
"This is ultimately, a legislative and administrative conversation, as it has been for years. I don't know what (the Commission's) long term plans are, but I can't imagine they will have an impact long-term in this conversation."
Rep. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango), Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, said he was happy with the amount of input he has had in the Commission process, including two meeting with the Commission Chair-- Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley.
"If a tax or fee got to his (the Governor's) desk, I'd probably call him myself and tell him to veto it," Rep. Hutchinson said.
Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, agreed with Sen. Scarnati, "I felt during budget negotiations that if a statewide impact fee or severance tax went up for a vote, it would have passed both chambers overwhelmingly. That hasn't changed, and I don't think the Governor's threat to veto that kind of legislation has changed either.
"We're going to send the Governor a fee or tax proposal regardless of the Commission's recommendations. That's the direction the General Assembly is going. We're going to pass something statewide and see what happens," said Sen. Yudichak.
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7/18/2011 |
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