High gas prices threaten Pennsylvania’s economy

Originally published at Broad + Liberty

Summer road trips and tourism are integral to Pennsylvania. From riding buggies in Amish Country to visiting Gettysburg’s battlegrounds, people nationwide journey to the Keystone State for summer vacation. The Pennsylvania Tourism Office’s latest numbers calculate the industry’s impact on Pennsylvania’s economy at $76.7 billion.

However, Pennsylvania’s high gasoline prices threaten this bellwether industry — which, in 2022, supported 486,000 jobs and brought in $4.7 billion in state and local tax revenues — by complicating travel within the commonwealth.

And it’s not just tourism. High gasoline prices have a much broader, deeper consequence: whether Pennsylvanians can afford everyday necessities. Energy costs correlate with overall inflation, straining budgets with expensive utility bills.

Read more at Broad + Liberty