Two Lawmakers Want Counties To Get Share Of Severance Tax Hike

Two Republican State Representatives are pushing for Ohio's shale-gas rich counties to get a portion of the money generated from a proposed severance tax hike on drillers. Jay Hottinger and Al Landis say local communities must be compensated for road, bridge and infrastructure impact. A proposal moving through the Legislature calls for severance-tax increases of 1 percent, then 2 percent, with proceeds funding a state income tax cut. The legislation replaces a tax plan proposed last year by Governor John Kasich. The new package would generate an estimated 2 billion dollars over 10 years.