PENN TWP — Three state legislators shared the issues they find important and answered questions Friday from those who attended the annual Legislative Breakfast at the Butler Country Club.

Organized each year by the Butler County Chamber of Commerce, the breakfast brings together the county's movers and shakers and state legislators to address and discuss the state of the Commonwealth.

Three legislators spoke at the event emceed by Thomas Genevro, chairman of the Butler Health System's board of directors.

State Sen. Scott Hutchinson, whose 21stSenatorial District covers Butler plus 14 townships and 11 boroughs in the county, serves as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which deals with the revenue side of the state budget. He said his committee discusses priorities in the budget and how tax dollars are being spent.

Hutchinson said he wants to ensure Pennsylvania can compete with other states and even foreign countries regarding jobs. To do that, he said the state's tax code must allow all businesses to grow and not drive away employees.

For the first time in a decade, the state economy is strong, Hutchinson said. That includes an $800,000 excess in the current $32 billion budget, which he thinks should be increased and placed into a rainy-day fund.

“Most states put 10 percent in a rainy-day fund, so when times get bad we are not in dire straits again,” he said.

Hutchinson lamented that Pennsylvania is the only state that does not allow businesses to write off expenses. He said small businesses should be able to write off equipment and machinery purchases to make them more financially viable.

Regarding issues facing the state, Hutchinson said an Emergency Services Panel will assess the statewide crisis in volunteer fire departments and ambulance services.

“The number of volunteers is way down — about a quarter of what we had 20 years ago,” he said.

He said incentives and consolidation of departments could be the answer to the state's growing emergency services crisis.

“We want to make sure that when you pick up your phone and call 911, someone is there to answer your call,” Hutchinson said.

State Sen. Elder Vogel, whose 47th Senatorial District covers four townships and three boroughs on the west side of the county, is the chairman of the Senate Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee.

He said a $5 million fund was created last year to help small dairy farmers and the same amount will likely be available this year.

He also touted the recent Farm Tax Credit Bill and said other bills are in the works to assist struggling farmers.

“We want Pennsylvania agriculture to continue to grow and flourish,” Vogel said.

Vogel also said measures should be taken to save the nuclear power plants at Three Mile Island in Dauphin County and at Shippingport in Beaver County, which provide power for electric companies. He pointed out that there is insufficient wind and solar power available to support the generation of electricity.

State Rep. Jim Marshall's 14th District includes two townships and three boroughs in southwestern Butler County.

Marshall said his focus is on job growth and rehabilitation as well as repairing brownfield sites to attract development.

He said a bill he introduced that was passed changed the restrictions the state Department of Transportation puts on the width of tractor trailers, which removed red tape for trucking companies as well as the number of trucks on state highways.

“Most of the legislation I've introduced in the last five years has been transportation related,” Marshall said.

Marshall also discussed the new petrochemical ethane cracker plant currently being built in Beaver County. He said the plant is the largest construction project in the United States and will employ 6,000 workers by summer. Once complete, the plant's railway will have the capacity to hold 800 cars.

During the panel's question-and-answer session, Leslie Osche, chairwoman of the county commissioners, said she disagrees with Gov. Tom Wolf's stance on shale gas and favors State Sen. Mike Turzai's bill to open drilling in state forests.

Marshall replied that he opposes Wolf's plan to tax shale gas drillers, as the impact fees paid by drilling companies totals more than Ohio's tax gains from the industry.

“Natural gas is critical for Pennsylvania and (Wolf's) tax is the wrong way to go,” he said.

Hutchinson said Wolf's moratorium on extending underground fracking into state forests could cause drillers to leave Pennsylvania. He called Wolf's moratorium “irresponsible.”

“I'm hoping we can change that executive order,” Hutchinson said. “It doesn't make sense.”

County Commissioner Kim Geyer lamented that Wolf flat-lined funding for community colleges, while stating that workforce development is his No. 1 issue.

“Ninety percent of community college graduates stay in their local economy,” she said.

Hutchinson called Butler County Community College “a gem in this community” that provides students with an education at a lower cost.

Former county commissioner Bill McCarrier said Slippery Rock University, where he sits on the board of trustees, has added 18 new courses in the past six years, including petroleum, gas and mechanical engineering classes. He pointed out that these classes were in direct response to the change workforce needs.

Hutchinson said SRU is one of two of Pennsylvania's 14 state colleges to hold enrollment numbers instead of experiencing a decline.

“We are blessed to have creative and efficient leadership at BC3 and Slippery Rock,” Hutchinson said.

The business, industry, local government and education officials who attended the legislative breakfast said they get valuable information that affects their institutions at the event.

“It helps bring a Harrisburg connection back home and it's good to hear what is percolating at the state house and senate,” said Mark Gordon, the county's chief of economic development and planning.

Marlene Myers, a partner at Ashlar Architecture and Engineering, agreed.

“It's important to have an idea of what is going on in the community and meet new people,” Myers said.

Ruth Purcell, executive director of BC3's Education Foundation, said the breakfast allows a two-way conversation with the legislators.

“It's really important to get their bead and put a bug in their ears about where we stand on certain issues,” she said.

Mark Buchek of Northwest Bank said he appreciates the opportunity to interact with the people who are “hands-on in Harrisburg.”

“There's a lot of economic development in Butler County and, obviously, government plays a role in that,” Buchek said.

The legislative breakfast is sponsored by XTO Energy, Gateway, Pennsylvania American Water, the county Tourism and Convention Bureau, Community Development Corporation and Manufacturing Consortium.