Shell tax credits would mean thousands of jobs

June 29, 2012 12:23 am

Recently I attended several hours of meetings with the governor's office about the Shell cracker plant which might -- and I need to stress might -- come to Beaver County.

The controversial issue is a series of tax credits for the plant. Some opponents have left the impression the state would simply be writing Shell a check. This is not true. They would allow Shell to keep more of its own money to pass along as credits for companies that sell it natural gas from Pennsylvania, or make products from that gas in Pennsylvania.

The union understands that this incentive means that Shell would begin a $4 billion construction project for this plant, meaning as many as 10,000 good-paying construction jobs. Another 10,000 to 20,000 spinoff jobs could then follow in the coming decades.

Debbie Srogi's recent commentary ("Governor Giveaway: Corbett Keeps Shoveling Our Money to Oil and Gas Companies," June 15 Perspectives) criticized this deal as a giveaway. This union doesn't see this as a tax credit. We see it as a job creation credit. Let's not let this chance get away because of political partisanship.

MARK THOMAS
Business Manager/Financial Secretary-Treasurer
Iron Workers Local Union No. 3
Strip District

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First Published June 29, 2012 12:00 am

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Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/letters/shell-tax-credits-would-mean-thousands-of-jobs-642503/

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