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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 9, 2015 04:37 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Scott E. Hutchinson |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Pennsylvania Affordable Energy Development Zones |
| In the near future I intend to introduce legislation establishing the Pennsylvania Affordable Energy Development Zones Program to help create jobs and lift the economy in rural Pennsylvania by capitalizing on the unconventional natural gas boon. Rural areas of the Commonwealth have seen decades of plant closures, job losses, population declines and stagnant economic growth. In too many cases, the best hope for finding a decent job has been to relocate, leaving behind family, friends and hometowns. Thankfully Pennsylvania has been given new opportunity for job creation and a chance to lead the nation toward energy independence. It is also an opportunity to reverse the trend of joblessness and poverty that afflicts much of rural Pennsylvania by reestablishing a manufacturing base. My legislation would incentivize new businesses to locate in counties with natural gas producing wells, where they’ll have ready access to a low-cost energy source. Incidentally, many of these counties overlap regions that have been hardest hit by manufacturing losses. Affordable Energy Development Zones authorized by DCED will provide new businesses ten-years of state tax relief provided they meet certain employment and capital investment thresholds. The exemption will be available only to new Pennsylvania businesses locating within a zone – not to businesses relocating from other areas of the Commonwealth unless a relocated business shows a net increase of job creation. Please join me in cosponsoring this legislation to help rural Pennsylvania turn the corner to a brighter economic future. |
Introduced as SB886