Welcome to Common Sense Weekly! This is the Commonwealth Foundation's weekly news roundup of policy issues being debated in Harrisburg and across Pennsylvania.
Biden moratorium on natural gas exports could hurt Pennsylvania’s energy future
The Biden administration’s moratorium on building new liquified natural gas export terminals makes the future uncertain for what could be an “economy changing” project for Pennsylvania, House Republican lawmakers heard Monday.
Speakers representing the manufacturing and natural gas industries and construction trades said an LNG export terminal proposed on the Delaware River would support thousands of jobs across the state, generate $7 billion in economic activity and result in $1 billion in new tax revenue.
And with the global supply of natural gas threatened by war and political instability, Pennsylvania has a market for Marcellus Shale gas in Europe, Carl Marrara, executive director of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association, told the House Republican Policy Committee.
Shapiro's Slogans Won't Save PA
Though elected in 2022, Gov. Josh Shapiro remains stuck in campaign mode, offering one empty platitude after another while avoiding the hard work Pennsylvanians elected him to do.
Despite his incessant mantra of “getting stuff done,” Shapiro has done the opposite. His first year ranks him as the least productive governor in recent Pennsylvania history, with few accomplishments during his tenure.
Case in point: the 2023-24 budget debacle. Shapiro undid months of good-faith negotiations by jettisoning one of his top campaign promises: Lifeline Scholarships, which he renamed the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS). Shapiro did nothing to bring lawmakers to the negotiating table.
What's Really Holding Pennsylvania Back
After the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in Baltimore Harbor, every politician representing the area, at every level of government, promised plenty of money and the swiftest possible restoration.
They’ll probably succeed in cutting the time down to a fraction of what is typical in government construction. When the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis collapsed in 2007, the new bridge was opened in a little over a year. Likewise, in our own backyard, when part of I-95 collapsed in a fire in Northeast Philadelphia last year, traffic was restored in just 12 days.
A highway on land is a lot less complicated than a bridge over an active shipping channel, but both projects showed that things can still get built quickly and successfully in America if the political will — and the money — is there.
New Pennsylvania Polling Shows What Voters Are Most Concerned About
Most of the polled Pennsylvanians (57%) said the economy is not good, or poor. An even greater percentage (68%) suggested that inflation has affected them a great deal or fair amount.
Voters were a little more upbeat in terms of job outlook: A plurality (40%) believe it's a good time to find a job, with 37% saying it's a bad time and 22% unsure.
Pennsylvanians appear to be largely divided about who's to blame for the economy and who is best suited to fix it.
We need a budget that creates jobs in Pennsylvania
Between new taxes and more spending programs, Gov. Shapiro's budget is bound to make Pennsylvania less economically competitive. Pennsylvanians want a budget that cuts spending and lowers costs for everyone while attracting new businesses and job creators. Send a message now: Tell Gov. Shapiro we need a fiscally responsible budget.
