Grateful for oil and gas industry
Supervisors in South Strabane Township have hired attorney John Smith to rewrite the township’s oil and gas curative amendment. Smith has joined several of the supervisors, as well as a few other township busybodies, in insulting many of those who attend township meetings, insinuating we are only supportive of the oil and gas industry because we are greedy.
They insist we cannot think and research on our own, plan for the futures of our farms or families or have positive opinions about the oil and gas industry.
In short, South Strabane is spending taxpayer money to hire an outside attorney, in addition to its solicitor, to save us from being greedy.
Smith recently declared that none of us would attend contentious township meetings if there were no mineral rights at stake. Regardless of mineral rights, there are residents who support good jobs and opportunities that could enable our children and neighbors to work and live here. Personal gain aside, many residents are grateful for the impact fees bolstering our township budget. There are big-picture residents who support lower energy costs for all people and energy independence for the United States. They take pride in a strong local economy and do indeed attend big-issue meetings to show their support for responsible oil and gas development.
It is ironic that Smith lectures the people of South Strabane about greed. I’m sure he has no problem accepting our tax dollars for his legal fees.
Emily Minor
South Strabane