MILTON - Gov. Tom Corbett said Minuteman Environmental Services Inc. represents the sort of company that helps the state move forward economically.
The governor used a visit Wednesday to the company in Milton's industrial park to defend his budget plan and encourage more innovative entrepreneurship.
"This is an American success story right here," he said, while standing with Brian Bolus and his family at the company's plant site.
Bolus started the business as a single proprietorship more than 20 years ago with just one truck.
It since has grown to a fleet of more than 200 trucks and some 150 employees.
Minuteman hauls fresh water to Marcellus Shale sites for hydraulic fracturing in addition to other services in support of gas drilling and other types of companies.
Corbett said it's an example of a company that has taken advantage
of the state's gas industry, which did not exist 10 years ago.
The governor said people looking for jobs should consider taking advantage of new job opportunities. He noted that many people without college degrees can make good money working as truck drivers and welders.
His own son, he said, has a master's degree in architecture, but does not work in that field. Instead, he works in the entertainment business.
Corbett noted that the state graduates 12,000 teachers from colleges for just 3,000 vacancies in Pennsylvania.
"We've got to start thinking differently," he said.
Corbett's $27.1 billion budget calls for reducing funding levels by 20 percent for colleges in the 14 state-owned universities in the State System of Higher Education. In addition, he's asking for some 30-percent decreases for Penn State and Temple universities and the University of Pittsburgh.
Education comprises 48 percent of the budget, with welfare and corrections making up 38 percent and 7.3 percent, respectively.
The rest of the budget, about 13.4 percent, consists of all other expenses.
Corbett defended some of the budget cuts, noting that the state won't fund what it can't afford.
He said this year's budget marked the first time in a decade that a spending plan was passed on time.
Despite facing a $4.2 billion deficit, spending was pared down and the budget actually shrunk from the previous year.
The spending plan introduced by Corbett Tuesday call for no tax hike.
The state's 9.9 percent corporate net income tax, he said, is the second highest in the nation.
"Natural gas drilling companies pay the corporate net income tax," he said.
Other revenue from natural gas come in the form of royalties paid by people from gas pumped from their properties leased to drillers.
In addition, a gas impact fee passed by both Houses this week would bring in additional revenues from drilling.
Interestingly enough, it wasn't so very long ago that the state's market for natural gas was an unknown, he said.
On other issues, Corbett said he continues to support privatization of the state's liquor stores.
He said he also backs school reform measures, including evaluations for teachers.
