County representatives talk business at legislative breakfast
JACKSON TWP — A company applied for a permit to build a power plant in Pennsylvania, withdrew the application and built the plant in Ohio after waiting 18 months on the permit, state Sen. Elder Vogel, R-47th, said Friday.
Permitting was one of the subjects discussed by legislators representing Butler County on Friday during the Butler County Chamber of Commerce’s annual “State of the Commonwealth” legislative breakfast, which touched on a bevy of issues affecting businesses and residents.
The event, which was held at the Steamfitters technology and event center, drew a large audience of business leaders, and county and municipal elected officials. Mark Buchek, this year's chamber chairman, served a moderator.
According to state Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, chairman of the finance committee, streamlining the state process for reviewing permits has bipartisan support and would benefit businesses and residents. The goal is to have permits approved in a timely and predictable manner, he said.
Vogel, chairman of the agriculture and rural affairs committee, said the Senate “grilled” acting Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Richard Negrin about permitting during his confirmation hearing, and current Gov. Josh Shapiro supports expediting the process.
Hutchinson said changes in the tax code are needed to help state businesses compete with businesses in other states in the world economy. Some positive changes were made last year under former Gov. Tom Wolf and Shapiro supports additional changes.
