Letters to the editor
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Natural gas overtaxation is unfair, unproductive
Sharon Ward's Forum piece calling on the Legislature to impose the natural gas severance tax ("Pennsylvania Legislators Must Levy a Reasonable Tax on Natural Gas," Sept. 19) accurately claims that states that export natural resources typically impose severance taxes. What she neglects to mention, however, is that these states also have either exemptions or delayed implementation of these taxes, and several others have neither income nor corporate taxes. Under the current proposal being considered by the Pennsylvania Legislature, a severance tax would be on top of already existing taxes. Even the sheriff of Nottingham would raise an eyebrow at this kind of taxation-in-triplicate.
The natural gas industry has brought tens of thousands of jobs to some of Pennsylvania's most economically depressed areas. We ought to be celebrating that and doing everything we can to ensure that we don't create a climate so unfriendly to enterprise that entrepreneurs take their business -- and their jobs -- elsewhere.
Ms. Ward's organization claims to speak for "working families." If that's true, then perhaps working families would be better served by a Legislature that doesn't seem determined to punish an industry that puts people to work.
NANCY TILTON
Mt. Lebanon
Even Castro knows
Recently, we learned that Fidel Castro admitted that his communist economic model wasn't all that he expected it to be. China's move to a freer market system has catapulted that nation to a world leadership position. The Soviet Union opened the door to capitalism more than a decade ago, enabling its citizens to improve their standard of living.
And how about the initiative in the United Kingdom to move away from its nationally administered health system to permit greater freedom for the patient and his or her physician? Lastly, Sweden, which has operated a socialistic form of command economy, has voted a center-right government into office.
It would appear that all these countries have learned "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." Do you think our leaders will take heed?
HARRY CHODER
Squirrel Hill
Essential transit
It would be a great shame if the Port Authority has to eliminate the bus route I use to get to work, the 65 (formerly the 67H), which runs from Squirrel Hill to Downtown.
Many mornings there is standing room only on the bus, so there is certainly no shortage of patrons using this route. I could understand curtailing service during the middle of the day when there are many fewer riders, but this bus is heavily used during both the morning and evening rush hours. Getting rid of it would inconvenience hundreds of regular riders. Unfortunately, this may happen if the state Legislature does not approve funding to support our public transit system.
If this bus route is indicative of others that may be discontinued, then this city may soon face a real transportation crisis. People like me, who own a car but like to avoid the hassle of driving and parking Downtown, may start driving instead of relying on other bus routes that are already extremely overcrowded and less convenient than the routes we usually use.
First Published September 30, 2010 12:00 am
