New Poll Finds Voters Support New Tax On Drilling Companies 69 to 30 Percent

A new poll released by Quinnipiac University today shows voters support a new tax on companies drilling for natural gas 69 - 24 percent. Even Republicans support such a tax 59 - 33 percent. Support tops 60 percent among all other groups and in all regions.
Pennsylvania voters say 63 - 30 percent that the economic benefits of natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale outweigh the environmental impacts. Support is strong among men, women, all parties and in all regions, ranging from 55 - 38 percent among voters in the northeast corner of the state to 69 - 25 percent among voters in the northwest corner.
"'Drill, baby, drill,' is the call from Pennsylvania voters, and 'tax, baby, tax,' is the follow-up as voters see natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale as an economic plus more than an environmental negative," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "They also see added taxes on gas drillers as one of the few acceptable ways to help balance the budget."
In the same poll, voters disapprove 52 - 33 percent of the way Corbett is handling the state budget and say 48 - 36 percent that Gov. Tom Corbett's proposals to balance the budget are unfair to people like them. Democrats say unfair 66 - 19 percent while Republicans say fair 55 - 31 percent. Independent voters say unfair 45 - 38 percent.
Overall, voters give Gov. Corbett a 39 - 38 percent job approval rating, with 23 percent of voters still undecided.
A complete copy of the poll results is available online.