Innovation Ohio Slams Kasich “Frack Tax” Proposal
Think Tank Says Big Oil and Wealthiest Ohioans Would Benefit Most
Columbus—Innovation Ohio, a progressive think tank headquartered in Columbus, today charged that Governor Kasich’s plan to fund another income tax cut by marginally raising Ohio’s oil and gas severance tax (currently the second-lowest in the nation) would be a “giveaway to the oil companies, a windfall for the wealthy, and another body blow to schools, local governments, and middle income taxpayers.” Specifically, IO says:- Kasich’s proposed oil and gas severance tax rates are so low that Ohio would continue to lag far behind other states. Specifically, Kasich’s proposal to reduce the current tax on natural gas and raise it gradually on oil and natural gas liquids (to a high of just 4%), would still leave Ohio with the 2nd lowest tax rate in the nation on gas, and the 2nd lowest tax rate on oil among the top ten producing states.
- Kasich’s plan would also leave local governments holding the bag when it comes to road and other infrastructure damage caused by the heavy trucks and other equipment used in fracking operations. Under his proposal, oil companies would be assessed an “impact fee” of $25,000 per well—but be allowed to recoup that money by reducing their local property taxes by the same amount. In other words, the “impact fee” is revenue neutral—which, by definition, means no increased money for local governments who will still be on the hook to pay for damages caused by the oil companies.
- Kasich’s “across the board” income tax cut would give taxpayers earning between $45,000 and $50,000 an extra $19 in 2014, and just $65 when fully phased in in 2017. Meanwhile, wealthy Ohioans earning $350,000 and up would receive an average of $1,539 in 2014, and a whopping $5,193 in in 2017.
- If Ohio were to adopt Texas’ middle-of-the-pack severance tax rate (7.5% on natural gas and 4.6% on oil and natural gas liquids)—and then use the revenue to offset state cuts to schools and local governments—enough money would be generated to pay for damages to local roads and infrastructure, stop the layoffs of thousands of police, fire and other public safety workers—or prevent increases in local property taxes that pay for schools.