Some Pa. State Officials Push To Tax Marcellus Shale Drilling In Effort To Raise Money For Public Schools
By Justin Udo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There's been un-taxed Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania for the last few years, but now some state officials want to change that.
Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes and a number of his colleagues want to put an eight percent tax on Marcellus Shale extraction in the commonwealth.
"To have one of the wealthiest industries in the world get off scot free without paying their fair share and allowing the children to suffer the most is unacceptable," said State Senator Hughes.
Senator Hughes says 60 percent of the tax money would go to funding public schools throughout the state.
"We're here standing up to make sure that our kids our children get what is due them from an industry that has walked away from their corporate and civic responsibilities," said Hughes.
Senator Hughes says the other 40 percent of that tax money would go to reducing unfunded pension liability.