Comments on: Also this week: E Day and Future Fund Talk https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2012/02/11/also-this-week-e-day-and-future-fund-talk/ Just another WordPress site Wed, 14 Feb 2024 02:06:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: RD Blakeslee https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2012/02/11/also-this-week-e-day-and-future-fund-talk/#comment-2544 RD Blakeslee Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:22:00 +0000 http://www.frackcheckwv.net/?p=4181#comment-2544 The main thrust of the article above is to extole the virtues of a trust fund to save a portion of WV severance tax revenue for future use by the state. I agree with that idea, but disagree with the further thrust of the article, that a severance tax increase is needed to fund it. Most of us save from what we now make. Nobody I know of argues that their personal savings depended upon increased income. Furthermore, the article assumes that great good comes from increased taxation and ignores the benefits the natural gas industry has brought to us by private enterprise. Natural gas is plentiful (The US is a net energy exporter for the first time in decades), natural gas prices are much lower than petroleum-based energy, and going lower. Folks who heat their homes and businesses with natural gas would rather see lower energy prices AND lower taxes, I think. The main thrust of the article above is to extole the virtues of a trust fund to save a portion of WV severance tax revenue for future use by the state. I agree with that idea, but disagree with the further thrust of the article, that a severance tax increase is needed to fund it.

Most of us save from what we now make. Nobody I know of argues that their personal savings depended upon increased income.

Furthermore, the article assumes that great good comes from increased taxation and ignores the benefits the natural gas industry has brought to us by private enterprise.

Natural gas is plentiful (The US is a net energy exporter for the first time in decades), natural gas prices are much lower than petroleum-based energy, and going lower.

Folks who heat their homes and businesses with natural gas would rather see lower energy prices AND lower taxes, I think.

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