Rendell seeks counter offers on gas drilling tax

HARRISBURG - Gov. Rendell says he wants legislative leaders to make a counterproposal regarding a natural gas drilling tax.

Gubernatorial spokesman Gary Tuma said Rendell asked those who weren't happy with his most recent proposal during a Tuesday afternoon conference call to make a proposal of their own.

Rendell's latest offer is to phase in the levy, starting at 3 percent and topping out at 5 percent, on gas extracted from the Marcellus Shale formation that runs beneath Pennsylvania.

Rendell is hoping to get responses by the end of the day. The House returns to session after the Nov. 2 election, but the Senate hasn't scheduled any more days before January.

Tuma says that "there's never going to be a deal if people don't come back with a counterproposal."