By Alex Roarty
PoliticsPA Staff Writer
roarty@politicspa.com

Pennsylvania’s two Republican candidates Tuesday criticized Governor Ed Rendell’s budget proposal because they said the spending plan would add burdensome taxes during an already difficult economy.

The governor proposed increasing spending by $1.15 billion next fiscal year, from about $27.8 billion to $29 billion, in a budget that did not call for any tax increases. But he also outlined a plan to begin saving money for the state’s looming multi-billion shortfall in the coming years, a proposal that creates a reserve account funded by an array of tax hikes.

Neither plan was well-received by state Rep. Sam Rohrer and Attorney General Tom Corbett, who made their positions known in e-mails to supporters that also solicited campaign contributions. Rohrer also filmed a short Webcast to details his opposition to the plan.

The state lawmaker said Rendell has left Pennsylvania “insolvent” by continuing to increase spending year after year.

“Like the last seven spending plans he’s proposed before, the governor’s prescription is focused on fixing a revenue or income problem, not treating Pennsylvania’s addiction to spending,” he said during his Webcast.

Rohrer was sharp in his critique, saying Rendell had “simply fabricated the facts” during his address. He called for a “Taxpayer Protection Amendment” to limit state spending to the growth of inflation, among other proposals part of his platform.

“Now it’s up to us to fix it,” he said. “Let’s not waste the next eight years.”

Corbett’s response was more sedate, saying he had a different plan to revitalize the economy.

“Taxing Pennsylvania’s hardworking families and small businesses, as the Governor pledged this morning, is not the answer,” the attorney general said. “We must fight for best interest of all Pennsylvanians, including the small businesses that keep millions of Pennsylvanians at work.”

He outlined the state’s looming billion-dollar pension hike before saying he would declare a special legislative session to come up with solutions to the problem.

“Should the governor choose not to call for a special session, as the next Governor I will on my first day in office invoke the power granted by Pennsylvania’s Constitution to convene the legislature for a special session on economic recovery to address our state’s long-term fiscal stability and health and give Pennsylvania taxpayers a voice in Harrisburg,” Corbett said.

The state Republican Party endorsement meeting is this weekend, and the attorney general is all but certain to receive the GOP’s official backing. In fact, Rohrer is holding his own “grassroots conference,” called “Mobilize for Liberty,” next door.

Tags: Sam Rohrer, Sam Rohrer taxes, Tom Corbett, Tom Corbett taxes

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