At least one Republican, Pennsylvania State Rep. Jim Christiana (from Beaver County, PA), is pushing a new severance tax plan he considers kinder and gentler than that proposed by PA Gov. Tom Wolf. Christiana has proposed a tax with a rate of “just” 3%, instead of Wolf’s demand of 5% (see Some PA Republicans Beginning to Cave on Severance Tax). However, Christiana’s tax plan would, in time, increase to 5%–just like Wolf’s. Of course all of these numbers are hocus pocus horse manure. The actual percentage goes much higher when you factor in all of the extras. What’s interesting to us is how Democrat-controlled media organizations like the Scranton Times-Tribune (and its subsidiary the Wilkes-Barre Citizens’ Voice) are attempting to spin this news. They published an article referring to Christiana as a “conservative” trying to imply conservatives are now on board with a severance tax on drilling in the Keystone State. Let us assure you, such is not the case. It is another sterling example of media bias and spin…
