Rally at Range Resources Headquarters Planned This Afternoon Will Deliver 'Bill for Unpaid Taxes'

Members of the Canon-McMillan community said they will be rallying in front of the Southpointe headquarters of Range Resources this afternoon to demand that the company support a Marcellus Shale gas extraction tax.

“Facing $1.7 million in state budget cuts in (the) Canon-McMillan school district and cuts to other critical services, community members will rally on Tuesday outside the Range Resources office in Southpointe to demand the corporation pay its fair share of taxes in Pennsylvania,” a press release from a Pittsburgh public relations firm stated. “The group of parents, nursing home workers, school employees and environmentalists will ask Range Resources to join them in signing a letter to Governor (Tom) Corbett and the General Assembly to support a gas extraction tax and close corporate loopholes to help reduce cuts to the education budget.”

The release continued:

“Despite a state budget shortfall and Gov. Corbett’s proposal to cut education spending by more than $1 billion, gas companies continue to benefit from significant tax breaks and loopholes.”

It then indicated:

“According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, many wealthy out-of-state drillers are paying personal income tax rate on their profits rather than the corporate tax rate that other Pennsylvania-based businesses pay, no property taxes are being paid for the gas wells because of a tax exemption, and federal tax policies reduce drillers’ taxable income to the state.”

The groups say the are seeking a “moderate gas severance tax, like those in every other major energy-producing state” and said it could help generate $200 million over the next year—potentially growing to $400 million by 2015-2016.

Participants are asked to meet around 3:30 p.m. at the UFCW Local 23 office at 345 Southpointe Blvd. The group is expected to march to the nearby Range Resources building around 4 p.m.

Range Resources spokesman Matt Pitzarella said the company appreciates the rally.

"We appreciate them coming in support of Range Resources," he said. "We can only assume the march is in support of the company given the strikingly similar positions of the entities involved and Range Resources."

Specifically, he said local fees and taxes, local jobs (including unions) and environmental standards are all issues the groups agree upon.

"We encourage them to join us later this year at our new cetified green building in Southpointe," he said.