Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Finally, a fair tax
Our APRN business reporter Roby Brock is all over the Fayetteville Shale story. He says that this new source of natural gas could put $5 billion dollars into the state economy over the next three years. That sounds huge to me.
Here is something lawmakers need to start thinking about and taking positions on. Arkansas needs to increase its’ severance tax. That is a charge to companies that remove the non-renewable resources of the people of Arkansas. This has been an issue for many decades and folks around here have lost considerable money to timber and gas interests.
The time has come for gubernatorial and legislative candidates to clearly say where they are on getting our severance tax up, at least, to regional norms. When your home uses gas produced in Texas, which happens a lot, you pay handsomely to build classrooms there. Why should we not assess the same charge? It is a question of equity.
Big companies have lobbyists, but we voters and taxpayer should have a say too. I’m Pat Lynch with News and Comment on the Arkansas Priority Radio Network.
(Broadcasr May 16,, 2006)
Here is something lawmakers need to start thinking about and taking positions on. Arkansas needs to increase its’ severance tax. That is a charge to companies that remove the non-renewable resources of the people of Arkansas. This has been an issue for many decades and folks around here have lost considerable money to timber and gas interests.
The time has come for gubernatorial and legislative candidates to clearly say where they are on getting our severance tax up, at least, to regional norms. When your home uses gas produced in Texas, which happens a lot, you pay handsomely to build classrooms there. Why should we not assess the same charge? It is a question of equity.
Big companies have lobbyists, but we voters and taxpayer should have a say too. I’m Pat Lynch with News and Comment on the Arkansas Priority Radio Network.
(Broadcasr May 16,, 2006)
