In the near future, I will introduce legislation that requires the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue to audit and report the amount of tax revenue generated for the Commonwealth in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. Pursuant to the audit and report, the Department of Revenue will be required to return 90% of revenue generated to the county in which it originated. The remaining 10% of such revenue will be reserved for Pennsylvania’s general fund.
 
County governments are responsible for providing critical services such as health care, education, public safety, and public transportation. Historically, policymakers in Pennsylvania have understood the concept that supporting discrete sections of the state with tax revenue from any area within the state will ultimately benefit the entirety of the Commonwealth. In the past, the General Assembly has passed bipartisan legislation affirming this principle. For example, I voted for an Impact Fee on unconventional gas wells. The fee is now collected and distributed directly to local governments to cover the local impacts of drilling.  But, in addition, several state agencies receive a portion of the fee to be used for a variety of other purposes. The wisdom behind that legislation affirmed that each part of Pennsylvania can benefit the whole. The same principle can be observed with respect to how the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission collects toll fees and uses those funds to finance maintenance, construction, and other operating costs for its highway system across the Commonwealth. Likewise, a portion of gaming revenues from casinos is collected to support economic development and public interest projects in Pennsylvania. The Department of Community and Economic Development administers these funds through the Local Share Account Statewide grant program. Everyone benefits from this program.
 
We now find ourselves at a crossroads. Some in the General Assembly do not believe we should support projects from which their constituents do not derive a direct benefit. This unfortunate reality leaves counties, including Philadelphia, without the ability to effectively manage their affairs. My legislation provides a solution for this difference in perspective. Each county will now have the ability to manage its own essential service delivery systems, develop contingency plans, and negotiate with neighboring counties to more effectively resolve any issues regarding critical infrastructure. Consequently, individual counties will not be forced to rely solely on a budget from the Commonwealth or any other action by the Governor or the General Assembly to continue operations. Pennsylvania’s present budget impasse is the prime example of why tax revenue should be returned to the county in which it originated. With this model, each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties will always have a path forward and essential services can be delivered without disruption. 
 
I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation.