AFP-PA Calls Out Shapiro for Broken Promise on RGGI
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania—On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced he would appeal a Commonwealth Court decision which found that former Governor Tom Wolf acted outside his constitutional authority to enter Pennsylvania into the interstate carbon tax scheme known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
The Court found that RGGI participation amounts to a tax, which requires a vote from the Pennsylvania Geneal Assembly.
Although the Commonwealth Court issued an injunction preventing the state from entering RGGI without proper approval from the legislature, Governor Shapiro is pursuing the case. Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania (AFP-PA) State Director Ashley Klingensmith issued the following statement after the Governor announced he’d be appealing the decision:
“Governor Shapiro’s decision to pursue this case amounts to a broken promise to Pennsylvanians. On the campaign trail, Shapiro promised to defend energy jobs and keep energy costs low. Even his own environmental working group could not see a benefit to the Keystone State entering RGGI. Some 40 percent of Pennsylvanians report that their number one concern right now is inflation and the rising cost of living. As we approach winter, Shapiro’s decision to appeal the court’s decision is particularly tone-deaf, as rising energy prices are directly eating into the paychecks of hard-working taxpayers.
“If Governor Shapiro were truly cared about keeping his promises, he’d listen to Pennsylvanians and abandon the unilateral approach to energy policy started by his predecessor.”
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