The+push+stops+here+-+Turzai+says+vouchers+and+Shale+“never+our+issue”

= By Mary Wilson = =// Published by WITF.org //= =// 12/15/11 //= = = = = = Governor Corbett said he wanted to pass school vouchers and a Marcellus Shale impact fee this year. Neither one of those is going to happen. = = = = There were rallies. There were platform roll-outs. There was the governor, who hesitated to rank his legislative priorities. But he ceded that at the top of his to-do list was passing a bill creating vouchers for the poorest students in the lowest-performing schools, as well as passing a Marcellus Shale impact fee. = = = = House Republicans said this week there weren’t enough votes for a vouchers bill, or even the less-divisive expansion of education tax credits. = = = = An impact fee remains undecided, too. = = = = House Majority Leader Mike Turzai shrugs off questions that the House has thwarted two of the governor’s highest legislative priorities. = = = = “Marcellus has never been our issue. School reform has never been our issue. We didn’t campaign on it. That’s the governor’s.” = = = = But Turzai also said House lawmakers still have a sticking point when it comes to Marcellus Shale. The House GOP wants to allow counties to impose an impact fee on natural gas drillers. = = = = “It is important. The county option’s important to the house, and important to getting 102 yes-votes.” = = = = The House is set to vote “no” next week on the Senate’s latest impact fee. = = = = That will set up a joint conference committee, which will be charged with bridging the two chambers’ differences on a Marcellus Shale bill. = = = = As far as vouchers are concerned, it’s back to the drawing board. When asked what Wednesday’s announcement from the House means for school reform, Turzai said he’s not sure. = = = = News = = home =