I suspect that there are a lot of Pennsylvanians who, like me, are looking at the new Corbett Administration with considerable confusion. Many of us are moderates who are willing to give our new Governor a fair opportunity to implement his ideas.

Clearly we have to learn how to do more with less. Significant cuts are going to be necessary. But, by deciding not to tax the Marcellus Shale gas, he is making the job more difficult than it needs to be.

I have yet to hear a credible argument against taxing this gas. We are the only state with significant Marcellus resources that isn't imposing a tax. This isn't an infant industry in need of protection. It's been around for 150 years and most of the drilling is done by huge multinational companies.

By refusing to consider a reasonable severance tax he is leaving himself open to the accusation that he is captive to the oil and gas lobby special interest. I hope he reconsiders this position. We'd like to support our new Governor, if he'd only give us a chance.

Since recently becoming a homeowner I’ve received three calls asking me to participate in a survey of some sort. I anxiously obliged all three times with the sentiment my opinion would be taken into account. All three times halfway through I wanted to hang up on the pollster. All three polls asked very specific questions and my replies were fixed at the generic, “strongly agree, disagree, etc….” I am extremely insulted by any poll that takes away my ability to articulate an answer.

Regarding cutting expenses and keeping programs and services: similar to anyone working out a budget, this is the question that we all have to answer. The questions in depth should really focus on the "operations" of the agencies that provide the services. We don't tell our families to not eat if we have to cut food budgets: we look for substitutions that cost less. We question whether "is this trip necessary?" Cutting jobs and salaries may make short term sense but what happens when those people have no income to tax? People employed plow their money back into the economy. We all need predictability to make budgets work. Businesses that operate with fewer employees and manage to achieve higher productivity will not hire more employees. There is no incentive to do so.
We, as taxpayers, are really asking government for ways to lower their operating costs and investigate their own agencies to achieve that end.

Regarding not taxing the Marcellus Shale Gas extraction companies: this is insane. We seem to only tax those who don't carry the clout to influence the votes in the legislature.

What Corbett is proposing is not simply about money. It's never in politics simply about money.

It's also about power, how power is distributed, who holds it: who's in control, and who gains from holding that power.

Corbett has already given $833 Million in tax breaks to big businesses working in PA-----many of which are not home-based in PA, ------so that corporations will now have more power in PA.

Corbett has refused to tax the shale gas drillers and has proposed expediting the permitting process so they can drill more freely------so that gas corporations will now have more power in PA.

Corbett is giving more money to police, in the form of the State Police, probation, and prisons ("defense") while withdrawing money from the schools at every level-------reducing the power of education, and increasing the power of the criminal system, while reducing the power of the taxpayers who must now ante up more in property taxes and local taxes.

The next step will be for Corbett to withdraw bargaining rights for union workers--------to reduce their power, while putting more power into the government.

These are all "fiscal" issues-----but if they are not seen for their underlying intent which is to redistribute power toward the wealthy and ruling and away from the middle and lower classes-----the true threat they pose to a more fair, and just society will be missed.

This is one more form of "trickle down" -----but in the mirror image in which the wealth is flowing upwardly away from the common people of PA.
One more example of the destruction of the middle class in America.