CAMPAIGN GIVING IS A GAS, GAS, GAS

AS THE STATE Legislature gets set to debate new taxes on the natural-gas industry to help increase funding for public education, a new study shows a big jump in the industry's campaign donations to state politicians.

The study, by Common Cause Pennsylvania and Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, was released last week and says campaign giving in the 2013-14 election cycle is up 47 percent over the previous cycle.

The industry gave $2.8 million this time around, bringing its total contributions since 2007 to $8.2 million, according to data compiled by the groups in a project dubbed MarcellusMoney.

Republican recipients far outpaced Democrats, $2.1 million to $519,814.

Former Republican Gov. Tom Corbett got $794,884. Democratic Gov. Wolf got $59,500. Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate (now Wolf's chief of staff) Katie McGinty got $72,500.

In the Legislature, Republican Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati pulled in $101,788; GOP House leader Dave Reed, $81,250; Democratic Senate leader Jay Costa, $48,700; GOP state Rep. Jeff Pyle, $44,745 (his district's in the heart of drill land); former GOP Senate leader Dominic Pileggi, $44,000; current GOP Senate leader Jake Corman, $40,750; GOP House Speaker Mike Turzai, $27,500.

Wolf is seeking a 5 percent natural-gas-extraction tax estimated to be worth $1 billion in new state revenue. Pennsylvania is the largest gas-producing state without such a tax, but it does impose a local-impact fee on the industry that collects about $225 million annually.

Because Republicans control the Legislature and continue to win the gas industry's, um, purse prize, the outcome of Wolf's new-tax efforts and who votes how should prove instructive, no?

- John Baer