Marcellus Shale Tax Credit Offered By White Defeated

A Washington County lawmaker offered an amendment to a bill Tuesday that would have provided $25 million in tax credits to Marcellus Shale companies that hired 75 percent of its workforce from Pennsylvania—but it was voted down.

State Rep. Jesse White, D-Cecil, said Tuesday that the amendment, “which would have shown a real commitment to creating energy industry jobs for Pennsylvanians” was defeated along a party line procedural vote of 105-86.

“So we can give $1.6 billion in tax credits to the foreign corporations in the shale industry, but can't do a $2,500 per job credit for people who actually live, work and play taxes here?” White asked on his Facebook page Tuesday. “Today we blew a golden opportunity to procure jobs for PA workers in the energy industry. Where are our priorities?”

White offered similar legislation in 2010, which died due to lack of legislative action.