This page was last updated on November 2, 2014.
Times endorses Wolf for governor; Editorial; Beaver County Times; November 2, 2014.
Below is a critique of an editorial excerpt.
“Republican Gov. Tom Corbett admits that one of his regrets from his first term in office is that he didn’t ‘communicate better’ when he released his first budget, which included severe cuts to education and other programs. The howling from both Republicans and Democrats over their lack of input into the process could be heard all the way from Harrisburg.
“It was a monumental political gaffe, and one from which we are uncertain if the Corbett administration has ever fully recovered. He’s spent a significant part of his re-election campaign trying to explain that those education cuts weren’t actually cuts, but rather a reflection of the loss of federal stimulus money used by previous Gov. Ed Rendell to supplement education funding.”
[RWC] As a news source, shouldn’t the BCT have communicated the truth about “the loss of federal stimulus money used by previous Gov. Ed Rendell to supplement education funding?”
“His message may be getting through to some degree, but we think this example speaks to a bigger issue with Corbett — a question of leadership. In talking with other legislators during this campaign season, it becomes obvious that while Corbett is certainly respected, he’s not viewed as the leader of a state Republican Party that currently holds the governor’s office and both chambers of the Legislature.
“Meanwhile, Democrat Tom Wolf has continued on the ‘every-man’ campaign he launched in January and one that carried him to victory in the May primary. His message has resonated with potential voters, although it’s hard to say if the lead he’s built in the polls is a reflection of his popularity, or the disapproval of Corbett.
“Either way, we believe the commonwealth needs a change in leadership, and we believe Tom Wolf is the right person for the job.”
[RWC] I’m shocked! You can read more in my critique of “Tom Wolf is right for state’s future.”
“Wolf points to three key areas where the Corbett administration has failed and where he will focus his efforts: Education funding and programs, the management of the state’s economy and the overall management of the commonwealth.”
[RWC] The job of a governor is to be the chief executive of the commonwealth government, not “the management of the state’s economy and the overall management of the commonwealth.” This is only one place where leftists like Mr. Wolf – and the BCT – run off the tracks.
“He has campaigned from the start on a plan to do away with the current impact-fee program placed on natural gas drillers and replace it was a 5 percent severance tax. He estimates that alone would raise $600 million to $1 billion, with a considerable chunk of that going to education funding. He would also commit roughly $200 million to local municipalities to replace funds lost from the impact fees.”
[RWC] You may recall the BCT finally conceded taxing Marcellus gas is “a tax that is paid by consumers” and acknowledged “Raising taxes could slow the economy.” No mention of that here, though.
“In addition to focusing on education funding, Wolf said he wants to invest in improving the state’s transportation system, and its natural resources — including our abundance of fresh water — and would like to address and simplify what he calls the ‘rules of the game,’ noting that the state is a ‘jumble of rules and regulations.’”
[RWC] You have to love this. Mr. Wolf has been bashing Mr. Corbett for increasing fuel taxes, the same taxes Mr. Wolf would also use “to invest in improving the state’s transportation system.” Again, no mention of this by the BCT.
“As for transparency and openness in government, he said one of his first actions would be an executive order to ban gifts to government appointees, and make transparent the granting of state contracts.
“And while we may agree with some of Wolf’s critics that his plan to change the state income tax to make it fairer for the middle class is certainly lacking in specifics, it’s important to note that any such proposal would have to be approved by what is almost certain to be a Republican-controlled Legislature.”
[RWC] When a Democrat talks about “chang[ing] the state income tax to make it fairer for the middle class,” grab your wallet. When in 2009 Gov. Rendell “proposed temporarily raising the personal income tax rate by 16% [from 3.07% to 3.57%] for the next three years,” I’m sure the intent was “to make it fairer for the middle class.” Remember, the PA “Republican-controlled Legislature” isn’t exactly conservative (Failing to privatize the state liquor store system is only one of many examples.) and granted then-Gov. Rendell’s request to increase the income tax rate 9.64%, from 2.8% to 3.07%.
“Make no mistake, Corbett has some excellent ideas as well, chief among them his proposal to privatize the state liquor store system and to address the mounting public employee pension issue and its $47 billion unfunded liability. But these are two key issues where the governor’s proposals, despite having a Republican Legislature, have failed to garner support.”
[RWC] The purpose of this paragraph is to show us the BCT was thoughtful in making its endorsement.
“We believe Tom Wolf can work with the Legislature to address Pennsylvania’s needs and we endorse him in the race for governor.”
[RWC] Who would have guessed?
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