West Central PA News

Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman has expressed strong criticism of Governor Josh Shapiro's approach to handling electricity prices in Pennsylvania. This follows the governor's announcement of measures aimed at protecting residents from what he described as unnecessary increases in their electricity bills.

Pittman highlighted a ruling by the Commonwealth Court over a year ago, which found that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Electricity Tax violated the state Constitution. "Over 13 months ago the Commonwealth Court ruled the RGGI Electricity Tax violates our state Constitution," Pittman stated. He criticized Governor Shapiro for continuing to appeal this decision, describing it as a waste of taxpayer money. "If the governor is truly committed to protecting consumers, he should start by dropping his own lawsuit in defense of a program destined to increase the cost of electricity by nearly a half billion dollars annually," Pittman added.

He emphasized that Pennsylvanians are already dealing with high energy costs and advocated for an all-encompassing strategy for power generation and distribution across the state. Pittman noted, "A strong, reliable, and cost-effective energy portfolio across our Commonwealth requires embracing an all-encompassing strategy when it comes to the generation and distribution of power."

The Senate Republican Caucus prioritized legislation during the 2023-24 Legislative Session aimed at addressing rising electricity costs but faced opposition from Shapiro's administration on several measures. "It is unfortunate that many of the measures were not supported by the Shapiro Administration," said Pittman.

Looking ahead to a new legislative session, Pittman sees opportunities to address these issues further. He reiterated their commitment to supporting working families affected by inflationary pressures through responsible energy policies. "Our Senate Republican Caucus will continue to be staunch advocates for working families who are feeling the stresses of inflation," he concluded.