HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) today offered the following statement regarding support for the Senate’s efforts to override the governor’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon tax veto on Pennsylvanians.
“It is simply absurd that we would initiate a tax increase on Pennsylvanians and our Commonwealth’s energy resources at a time when inflation and gas prices are skyrocketing. We are trying to help Pennsylvanians manage through the economic fallout from COVID-19 not to mention the effects of the current state of affairs globally. Instead, Pennsylvania Democrats voted to increase Pennsylvanians electric bills by 30%, eliminate 22,000 homegrown jobs, and increase the cost of everyday products with no significant environmental benefit. The fight against the RGGI carbon tax will continue in court. This could have been a slam-dunk bi-partisan effort for Pennsylvanians to override the governor’s unilateral decision for Pennsylvania to join RGGI. Stopping Pennsylvania from joining RGGI would have helped build upon a foundation started in the last budget session to position our Commonwealth’s economy for prosperity by helping to unleash Pennsylvanians greatest energy assets while reducing energy and consumer prices.
“There is no other state in the nation positioned to rebound out of this economic downturn better than Pennsylvania. To do that, we must not raise taxes on Pennsylvanians and instead place emphasis on our states’ greatest assets to regenerate our economy including agriculture, education, and energy while also addressing our state’s business climate and workforce demands.
“Pennsylvania is the second largest producer of natural gas and third largest producer of energy. There is no excuse as to why Pennsylvania should not be helping our nation and our Commonwealth become energy independent while making Pennsylvanians prosperous.”
Contact: Erica Clayton Wright, ewright@pasen.gov, (412) 334-4856.