By Alex Roarty
PoliticsPA Staff Writer
roarty@politicspa.com

HARRISBURG — He might be three weeks away from a still-competitive primary election, but Dan Onorato on Monday seemed more intent on taking shots at the man he might face in November, Republican Tom Corbett, than any of his inter-party challengers.

The Allegheny County executive chided during a press conference in the Capitol fellow gubernatorial candidates who suggested federal stimulus money, from which the state has received billions thus far for its general fund, should be used to fund capital projects. Such a proposal isn’t feasible, Onorato said, because much of the money is earmarked specifically for health and human services programs.

The Democrat didn’t mention Corbett by name during the press conference, but the attorney general has publicly staked out such a position on the stimulus numerous times.

“I think there’s a big difference between the two of us on that issue,” Onorato said in an interview afterward. “And I think it’s a big issue. That’s why it comes up.”

He said he was responding to a comment Corbett made on the campaign trail.

Onorato also seemed intent to tout the stimulus, which has had a mixed political reaction nationally, as a boon to Pennsylvania’s economy.

“The issue is federal government should reinvest; we want a partner,” he said. “People say they don’t want to federal government to invest. How do they think we got the interstate system to begin with 50 years ago? The federal government built the interstate system. That’s what gave us a great run for 50 years.”

The Corbett campaign did not respond for comment to this article.

Onorato faces fellow Democrats Auditor General Jack Wagner, state Senator Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia), and Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel in the party’s May 18 primary. He is considered the front-runner of the race based largely on his campaign’s exceptional fundraising, which has allowed him to aggressively hit the TV airwaves since the start of the month. Williams is the only other Democrat on air so far.

Onorato was in Harrisburg on Monday to, among other things, receive the formal endorsement of longtime supporter George Hartwick, Dauphin County’s Democratic commissioner. Hartwick touted Onorato’s executive experience during his press conference, saying the county executive has the skill-set to handle the array of looming fiscal problems facing Pennsylvania government the next four years.

Tags: Dan Onorato, Dan Onorato for Governor, Tom Corbett, Tom Corbett for governor

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