The Corbett administration’s ever-changing projections on the number of permanent in-state jobs it expects to be created by the proposed Shell ethane “cracker” plant in Beaver County remind us of an old joke.

“I’d like to buy a new suit,” says the man upon entering a shop.

“Ah, I’m sure we can help you,” responds the very accommodating clothier.

After trying on a few styles, the man settles on one he likes.

“But do you have this in blue?” he asks the clothier.

Ever the jokester, the clothier responds: “Let me go to the back room and change the color of the light.”

In the middle of June, the number of permanent jobs the administration claimed would be created in Pennsylvania by the Shell facility was “up to 20,000.” Tuesday last, the number was 10,000.

An administration spokeswoman said officials might use different numbers depending upon where its officials are speaking. Good grief. She might as well have said “What numbers would you like?”

Such numbers games only fuel the already heightened suspicions that this project, packed with billions in public subsidies now characterized as “unlimited,” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

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