from the inbox:
Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato today announced his endorsement of State Rep. Eugene DePasquale (D,York) for Pennsylvania Auditor General.“Eugene is clearly a bold reformer who will aggressively identify waste and inefficiency in the government,” said Onorato. “He helped pass one of the strongest open records laws in the country, and was the first legislator to post his expenses online.”“I am honored to receive Dan’s support and endorsement,” said DePasquale.
There seems to be a lot of interest in finding a comparison between the two candidates for governor so let me see if I can supply it. (full disclosure: the blogger is a Democrat).
Republican Tom Corbett does not want to put any tax on marcellus shale extraction; Democrat Dan Onorato wants an impact tax on the natural gas that companies extract, which will bring Pennsylvania in line with other gas-producing states. Both want to reduce business taxes. Corbett calls for a 10% reduction in state government; Onorato calls for 20%. As County Executive of Allegheny County Onorato reduced the number of elected row offices and consolidated 911 call centers to cut government spending. Onorato calls for campaign finance reform; Corbett does not. Onorato calls for term limits; Corbett does not. Both call for reform of perks and unvouchered expenses. You can read more on the policy statements on their campaign web sites.
The Pittsburgh area, where Onorato has been Allegheny County executive, has not had a property tax increase in years, and the unemployment level is lower than that of the state. Corbett is the state attorney general. He has filed charges against some legislators in the bonusgate cases. In this process he used subpeona power to try to find out who owned a twitter account that had been critical of him.
As for campaign donations, Corbett has taken sizable donations from the natural gas and drilling industries (the marcellus shale people). Onorato has received a lot of union money. Both received support from national party organizations such as the Republican Governors Association and the Democratic Governors Assocation.
You are encouraged to visit their sites yourself and look at their finance reports at campaignfinance.state.pa.us
In 2006, I wrote up some general guidelines for evaluating candidates. A few times I’ve used those guidelines to write about meeting candidates over a period of months and how they measured up to them. It’s been awhile since I wrote a “meeting” post, so let’s dust off the guidelines and see what happens.
Dan Onorato is the Democratic candidate for governor. I’ve watched a couple of gubernatorial debates on pcn and written them up, went to an early endorsement rally, read his policies extensively and posted on that, did an email interview, reviewed his campaign finance reports, attended three of the picnics he held on this side of the state over the summer, went to one house party where he was the featured guest, and attended one diner stop (see the Dan Onorato and Governor 2010 blog post labels for those and other posts). That’s not as extensive as the contact I had with previous “meeting” post candidates so this is more a “following around” post. Also, at very few of these events did Onorato make public remarks, for the most part he would walk around the room or area and talk with people individually. But his detailed policy statements fill in, providing his platform and electoral positions. Having read up on his work in Allegheny County and Pittsburgh I see a lot of consistency in what he promised and what he did in office. So, here goes:
The Utility Test
Voters might assume that high rollers and influentials can get face time with elected officials and candidates, but how are those further down the food chain treated? This is important because no matter how useful you are at any one point in time the wheel usually turns at some point and you will lose your utility. What happens then? How receptive is the candidate to regular voters?
I think some people on the Onorato campaign were tipped off early on as to who I might be, which removes the some of the element of surprise and objectivity. All the same, this is a governors race and I am a low level blogger. At most of these events I sat quietly and watched the interaction between candidate and people, but a couple of times I had specific questions about policy matters or campaign finance. Not all candidates take unexpectedly detailed or pointed questions well, but Onorato did. He was willing to discuss matters and explain his position, and, when I did not appear convinced, where he thought we agreed. I still disagree but appreciate the effort he put into his answer. I saw him engage in lengthy discussions with other people as well. A videographer from the campaign of his opponent, Tom Corbett, attended some of the same events I did. I watched carefully to see how the young man was treated. At each event he was invited to get something to eat or drink. Onorato came over to talk with him at one event. If a representative from the opposition is greeted in a calm, welcoming fashion, then voters can expect the same. The research I have done on various posts, on Onorato and the minority business community in Pittsburgh for example, indicate that he works with the community he represents. Of the various criticisms I have heard and read, inaccessibility is not one of them.
The Staff and Supporters Test
People are judged by the company they keep. What sort of staff does a candidate hire and do they stick around? High turnover is a warning sign. What kind of people attend the candidate’s events? As always, one reason I can write a post like this is that someone on the campaign staff kept me in the loop, where would the candidate be and when. I was added to the press release list and, especially in the last few months of the election, there was a public schedule with a number of free public events on it. I could usually get an answer to an emailed question. Campaign staff were efficient and friendly. Onorato hosted a number of picnics in various parts of the greater Philadelphia area over the summer, and has done a number of diner stops. The people I spoke to at events were civic-minded and pleasant. I enjoyed going out to Onorato events and just chatting with the people who were there. Onorato appears comfortable wading into the masses and chatting with people one on one. He doesn’t seem to bend his campaign positions to fit the audience – I saw and heard a lot of consistency in what he said in public remarks and in what was said in individual and small group conversations.
The Motivation Test
Can the candidate get people who otherwise disagree to work together? Can the candidate get people to come out and get involved? Here again I’d say yes. In doing research on his work in the Pittsburgh city council and Allegheny County government I found evidence that he could work with people he disagreed with and get them to come on board for projects. His low key, no drama approach seems effective. As always, when writing a post like this, it is worth noting that I was willing to give up a fair number of Saturday or Sunday afternoons to drive around and go to events to follow the campaign.
The Rope Test
My mother's basic judge of character is to ask this: If you were dangling over a cliff and hanging on to a rope, would you want this person to be holding the other end of the rope? In this case I’d say “yes.” Onorato is methodical, both an accountant and a lawyer. If he makes a commitment, say holding a rope, I think he would carry through. He would, of course, make sure he got the rope at a good price and you shouldn’t expect a big fuss when you got back up the cliff, but you would not fall.
Summation: No candidate will share your views on everything, or do everything the way you would have liked. What is important is if you can voice that view and be heard without fear or repercussion, and if you can count on the candidate to follow through with stated intentions. That has been my experience with the Onorato campaign and what has been reflected in the research I have done on his work in office. It may be telling that in nearly six years of blogging, this is my third “meeting” post.
from the inbox:
Hello! Hello, Philly! Hello, Philadelphia! (Applause.) Oh, this is a good-looking crowd here. (Applause.) Are you fired up? (Applause.) Are you ready to go? (Applause.)
First of all, thank you, Elliot, for the unbelievable introduction. We appreciate you. We’ve got a couple other special guests here. I want to make sure that I acknowledge them. Governor Ed Rendell is in the house. (Applause.) U.S. Senator Arlen Specter is here. (Applause.) U.S. Senator Bob Casey. (Applause.) Congressman Chaka Fattah. (Applause.) Congressman soon-to-be-senator Joe Sestak. (Applause.) Mayor Michael Nutter. (Applause.) Allegheny County Executive and soon-to-be-governor Dan Onorato. (Applause.)
I want to thank the first-time voters and Temple University Young Democrats -- (applause) -- for all the great work you guys have done. And give it up for Quincy Lyons for the great job he’s doing organizing. (Applause.)
Now, I am not here to give a long speech, because I want everybody out there, not in here. I’m here to deliver two messages.
The first message is thank you, because not only did all of you mobilize, organize and energize in 2008 to help send me to the White House -- (applause) -- but over the last two years, so many of you have continued to be involved each and every day to make sure that we could keep moving this country forward. It’s because of you that young people are getting college scholarships that weren’t getting it before. (Applause.)
It’s because of you that young people can now stay on their parents’ health insurance till they’re 26 -- (applause) -- and folks who have health insurance aren’t dropped by insurance companies when they get sick.
And the fact that -- and it’s because of you that we’re also going to be able to fund AIDS. It’s because of you that we are going to be in a position to make sure that each and every person out there is able to find work after a devastating economic crisis that made such a difference to so many families all across this country.
Now, here’s the thing, though, guys. You cannot stop now, because the fact of the matter is we are in a difficult election. It’s difficult here in Pennsylvania. It is difficult all across the country.
And unless each and every one of you turn out, and get your friends to turn out, and get your families to turn out, then we could fall short, and all the progress that we’ve made over the last couple of years can be rolled back.
So the key right now is not just to show up here, it’s not just to listen to speeches. It’s to go out there and do the hard work that's going to be required to bring this home over the last few days. That's going to be the key. (Applause.)
And so I know that some of you may have been at the rally we had with 20,000 folks of Germantown. (Applause.) But you know what, coming to a rally, that's not the hard part. What I need this weekend is 20,000 doors knocked on by all the volunteers who are here today. (Applause.) Is that something that you think you can do, 20,000? (Applause.)
In order for Joe Sestak to be successful and Dan Onorato to be successful and the entire Democratic ticket to be successful, you're going to need to talk to folks everywhere you can and make sure that you describe to them the future that you see for this country.
You want a country where every young person can get a decent education. You want a country where nobody is bankrupt because they get sick. You want a country where our seniors can retire with dignity and respect, and Social Security is there not just for this generation but for future generations.
You want a country that has the best infrastructure in the world. We used to be number one. We can’t have the best rail lines and the best airports built in China or Singapore. They need to be right here in the United States of America. (Applause.)
We don't want to be falling behind in math and science and technology. We’ve got to be first in research and development and technology to make sure that the new products and new services are developed right here in the United States.
We want clean energy here. We don't want solar panels and wind turbines and electric cars built in China or Europe. We want them built here in the United States with American workers. (Applause.)
And so it is absolutely critical that you go out there and you describe your hopes for the future, especially the young people here, because this election is not just going to set the stage for the next two years. It’s going to set the stage for the next 10, for the next 20.
And for those of you who were so excited two years ago, I just want to remind you this. Two years ago was not about me. It was about you and it was about this country. And I said then that change was going to be hard. Now, we’ve been involved in some tough fights over the last two years. We can’t move backwards now. We’ve got to keep moving forward now. And that's all going to be up to you.
So I want everybody to get out there, knock on doors, make phone calls, volunteer, talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors, go into the beauty shops, go into the barber shops, when you’re in church or -- you know, this weekend, I want everybody to be talking about -- have folks voted.
If you do that, then I am confident we’re not just going to win this election but we’re going to keep on moving this country forward so that the American Dream is accessible for everybody, not just some.
Thank you very much, Philadelphia. I love you. (Applause.) God bless you. Let’s get busy. Let’s go to work. Thank you. (Applause.)
from the inbox:
Pennsylvania’s chief law enforcement official and GOP gubernatorial nominee Tom Corbett yesterday said that “we want to make sure” that city residents do not come out to vote on Tuesday.
In a speech to Delaware County Republicans, Corbett implored his followers to “keep” down the vote in urban areas:
“President Clinton is coming back into Pennsylvania on behalf of my opponent again. The President is coming in on Saturday. Mrs. Obama is coming in on Sunday or Monday….
I saw today that the Governor said yesterday that Bob Brady should resign as chairman of the Democratic committee of Philadelphia if he doesn’t get 50% turnout….
I don’t think he’s going to get 50%.
But we want to make sure that they don’t get 50%.
Keep that down.”
Click here to view the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwpXTg6Ryjw
“The Attorney General’s job is to protect our right to vote and make sure that every vote counts, so why is Tom Corbett instead telling his Republican activists to ‘keep’ the vote down in the City of Philadelphia?” said Onorato for Governor Communications Director Brian Herman. “With two new polls in the last week showing Dan Onorato ahead of Tom Corbett among registered voters, having as few votes as possible come out of Philadelphia is the Republican’s only path to victory.”
On Wednesday, the CNN/Time poll gave Onorato a 2-point lead among registered voters, up from a 5-point deficit the prior month. And the Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Onorato beating Corbett by 3 points among registered voters.
“Republican Tom Corbett has proven time and time again that he’s willing to put his extreme political agenda ahead of average voters: from suing to block President Obama’s health care law to doing the bidding of his Big Oil & Gas donors,” said Herman. “And now five days before Election Day, he’s telling supporters to help him ‘keep that down’ when it comes to inner-city voting.”
Dan Onorato, the Democratic candidate for governor, isn't very well known on this side of the state, even after months of campaigning. While some aspects of his work in the Pittsburgh area have been written about, others haven't. A strong showing from the voters of the Philadelphia area could make a big difference in the outcome of the race. Out of curiosity I looked into his relationship with the African American business community in Pittsburgh.
To avoid getting only the mainstream view I made a special effort to research in Pittsburgh's ethnic newspapers. (The Ethnic Newswatch database is an excellent resource for this.) While this is a relatively short post a lot of background research went into it. This is only a summary, but it may provide voters with some idea of how Onorato dealt with minority businesses.
The first executive order Dan Onorato signed after taking office as Allegheny County Executive directed all departments to make diversity a top priority. He also announced a new fund “to provide short-term, working capital for minority and women-owned government contractors” (Toler 05/09/2004).
"We are creating economic opportunities for firms that have traditionally faced challenges in obtaining enough working capital to participate in the government projects," said Onorato, adding that this will help the qualifying companies grow.(Toler 05/09/2004)This is an issue he has been involved in as far back as 1994 when he was on the Pittsburgh city council (Bull, 7/21/1994).
McDonald-Roberts served on Pittsburgh City Council with Onorato.
"He's smart, he thinks outside of the box, he knows government, he knows finance and he's one who cares about the many different people who make up this community. It's time," she said. "He has always been there for our community."
"Name me one other political event that has brought together this diverse (in opinion) a group of Black politicians," said Pittsburgh Councilman Sala Udin. "You can't because there is not one."
State Rep. Joseph Preston Jr., D-East Liberty, added that Onorato's platform includes issues beyond economic development that affect people where they are.
"It's about substance and who can deliver," Preston said in explaining why he supports Onorato over Roddey.
After "sitting down" with Onorato, Preston said he supports him because his plan addresses the needs in the areas of health and human services and senior citizens' issues. (Morrow & Toler, 9/27/2003)
The Philadelphia Inquirer has endorsed Joe Sestak for Senate, Dan Onorato for Governor, and Patrick Murphy for the 8th congressional district. Both Sestak and Onorato have picked up several other endorsements statewide. Murphy was endorsed by the Bucks County Courier Times and the Bucks County FOP.
A few quotes:
The Inky on Onorato:
Upon becoming the Allegheny County executive in 2004, Onorato eliminated more than 600 jobs, saving taxpayers more than $30 million a year. He abolished six elected row offices, and worked with the city of Pittsburgh to consolidate services. Onorato has not raised property taxes during his tenure as county executive.
That's a record of reform and fiscal restraint that is needed in Harrisburg, where the next governor will face a budget deficit of up to $5 billion next year.
His track record as executive of Allegheny County has given him firsthand experience grappling with government change; his reforms involved consolidating city and county services, and eliminating positions and row offices; and he talks convincingly and concretely of how he'd streamline Harrisburg.
He's smart, energetic and well-versed on the issues. Like us, he supports a gas-extraction tax, an end to the Florida loophole, and a reform agenda that includes term limits, a smaller Legislature, and a prohibition on lawmakers' giving themselves raises.
In the past two years, Murphy also has paved the way for millions of dollars in economic development pouring into Bucks to expand businesses, especially those that generate wind power, solar energy and polysilicon products. He also secured funding for a green jobs academy that Bucks County Community College administers to train workers in these new initiatives.
We also believe Murphy deserves praise for voting for federal health insurance reform. Murphy and other Democrats had a mandate from the electorate in 2008 to pass such a program and they accomplished it, despite stiff resistance from Republicans, who did nothing to stall the crushing burden of galloping health insurance premiums and dropped coverage during the first six years of the George Bush administration when they had total control of Congress.
Murphy was one of the first Democratic officials to support Barack Obama's candidacy for president, yet he has not been a rubber-stamp. His voting record generally has been centrist, rather than liberal.
In 2006, the Iraq war veteran rode to victory with the help of antiwar sentiment and voter fatigue with the presidency of George W. Bush. This year, the campaign is all about jobs, and Murphy can point to solid efforts he's made to bring employers to his district.
The incumbent voted for the TARP fund to bail out banks, and later for the economic stimulus bill. He rightly argues that both votes were worth it to spare the nation from a deeper recession.
Murphy also has shown political courage, leading the effort to repeal the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which discriminates against gays in the military.
A few things that caught my eye from Saturday's Inquirer:
from "Health insurers' donations shift to GOP," by Jim Kuhnhenn and Richardo Alonso-Zaldivar: The gist is that health insurance PACs supported the health insurance reform bill as long as it included a mandate for everyone to have insurance (otherwise it isn't financially feasible) but now that it has passed the donations are tipping more towards Republicans hoping for less stringent regulations. For instance the bill that passed called for health insurance companies to spend 80% of premiums people pay to actually be spent on medical care. The insurance companies don't like that.
from the editorials, "Cash on the barrel:"
An so Senate President Pro Tem Joseph Scarnati (R., Jefferson) has amassed at least $143,000 in campaign donations from the [natural gas] industry. The Senate GOP never even held a vote on a tax proposal. When Scarnati's team left town, it was considering a tax that would have been among the lowest in the nation.
If Republican Tom Corbett is elected governor in November, the tax issue will be dead for at least four more years. He opposes the production tax and has accepted more than $700,000 from an industry hoping he wins. Democrat Dan Onorato, who has received far less from gas drillers, wants to impose a production tax.
Joe Hoeffel has been continuing his role as elder statesman in the Philadelphia area. This past weekend he attended an event in support of Ruth Damsker, who is running for the state senate. He's also been attending events in support of Joe Sestak. Today he held a conference call for bloggers, to discuss Dan Onorato's gubernatorial campaign, and answer questions people might have about Onorato.
Again, thanks to our friends at PCN I taped and watched a debate. Unfortunately I missed the first few minutes so if there were opening statements I missed them. As always these are just rough notes. I apologize in advance for any errors or misconceptions.
Gubernatorial Candidates debate
October 18, 2010
Democrat Dan Onorato
Republican Tom Corbett
open office, no incumbent
Moderator: Jim Gardner
Q1: voters feel disaffected and alienated, are you part of the problem?
TC; As governor the first thing is to become the leader, make difficult decisions. not necessarily in political best interests and will have political consequences but need to be made. not in this race for me personally but for my children and future grandchildren. PA needs to become a shining example that other states want to measures themselves by. we are crawling into the past, in part because of rancor. I don’t think I’ve been part of that. what I do is in the best interests of PA.
DO: thanks. people are worried upset at Harrisburg and DC and they should be because of unemployment levels.. I spent last 7 years governing, able to reform government, took on own party, consolidated row offices and 911 centers, downsize payroll, clean up old industrial sites, not raised property taxes in 7 years, froze assessments, unemployment below state level. want to reform Harrisburg, We have the most expensive legislature in nation, I will reduce by 20%, create an environment where private industries want to come to PA, regulatory agencies act in timely manner, train people for jobs of tomorrow.
Q2: why are voters in Southeastern Pennsylvania not engaged in state government
TC: difficult question. people start paying attention in last two weeks. don’t know who Dan and I are at this point.
DO: obviously a lot of races going on, congressional, senate, governor. crazy attack ads, people disgusted. I’ve spent a lot of time in SEPA last two years, talking about how things will affect Southeastern Pennsylvania, now its up to the field operation
Q3: hate crimes and bullying, what steps to increase diversities, outlaw discrimination based on orientation. would you sign [missed this].
DO: I’ve already done it. As the county executive of Allegheny Co passed anti-discrimination bill for sex orientation and gender identity. We shouldn’t discriminate against anyone. I even talk about in policy papers. No one should be intimidated at school or work. As governor I would sign.
TC: been dealing with this myself. As attorney general, going into schools talking about cyber bulling. this concerns me. The governor should participate in education. teach tolerance in schools. The civil rights division in the attorney general’s office, very active, important to continue being active. The amendment won’t make enforcement any better, The laws already there.
Q4: changes in gun laws, specificially in Philly
TC: the Supreme Court has ruled on whether cities can have separate ordinances. It is clear you cannot have separate ordinances. I’m not in favor of more gun laws. My office created a gun violence task force with Philadelphia DA’s office. Recently issued a report, 1300 active investigations, taken nearly 1k guns off street. enforcement of existing laws. courts have to help with this. when we get people in courts, sometimes lack of enforcement
follow up – Florida loop hole
TC: I cannot change this. Restrictions in Florida greater than in PA, have to demonstrate that you have taken 12 hour gun safety course, fingerprints, background check, no convictions or committed for mental illness, we have reciprocity with Florida.
DO: totally disagree. Supreme Court made it clear that we have an individual right to own guns but also right to reasonable regulations. in favor of that, of requirement to report lost or stolen guns, child safety locks, Florida loophole. I believe the Attorney General does have ability to close. Florida giving permits to carry concealed weapons.
TC: The Dept of agriculture and licensing in Florida issue permits, not like bunch of farmers make this decisions.
DO: I respect sportsmen and sportswomen and self-defense in home. Regarding dept of agriculture and licensing. should Florida’s dept be dictating to PA who should carry a concealed weapon
Q5: job creation -- what specifically would you do? How many jobs will your administrations create?
DO: I can’t give you a number because we don’t know what the future holds. Can tell you what we did in Allegheny Co. We have lost jobs as every other county has. Allegheny has weathered storm better tan other parts of the state. create a better business tax environment, lower business tax, phase out corporate stock tax, look at regulatory agency. get permits in 4 months not 2 years. train workers for jobs of future. marcellus shale – potential 80k new jobs, part of my platform, we want them to hire Pennsylvanians..
TC: If we could say how many jobs we would create we should be in different business. We have to create private sector climate when taxes 11th worst burden in nation. clear correlation between the two. whole list of taxes, look on campaign site for list. stock and franchise, inheritance tax, tort reform, grow young businesses already here, regulatory reform. agencies must work with business, not be adversarial. I’m the only candidate that has ever worked in a regulated industry. I understand when agencies hounds you. we have the potential in this state for hundreds of thousands of jobs.
follow-up: how long will it take you to lower those taxes
DO: can’t give exact timeline. it all depends on what is on the table. Are some corporate loopholes on the table? push hard to get down what I want to do.
TC: can’t give date …… will cut size and cost of state government, be accountable to money paid into Harrisburg
Q6: Harrisburg close to declaring bankruptcy. 19 towns and cities in distressed status. mayors asking for more taxing authority. in favor of this?
TC: look at Act 47. many cities in act 47 status for long time. haven’t been responsible with them, overseeing plan they develop so they can come out of it. state has responsibility that municipalities work to reduce time under act 47. work with towns before they go into act 47. not looking at new taxes, look at cost reductions, efficiencies. one thing state does do is send down unfounded mandates. should review that area.
DO: I run a local government, watched unfounded mandates and won’t send those down as governor. provide incentives to stressed cities to work outside box, consolidate police and fire depts.. if municipalities want help, need to look at how we provide services. look at school districts, local government. look at options. look at efficiencies. glad we were able to be creative in Allegheny county. not raised prop taxes because we are efficient. I don’t use more taxes, are there other options. demand efficiencies, shared services, lower cost.
Q7: 3 things you will cut?
DO: I do understand why people cynical when talk about downsizing legislature. They told me the same things when I said I would downsize county government, but we consolidated offices and streamlined government, got it down. cut and save, want to cut 20%. legislature sitting on $200M in leadership funds and walking around monies, look at turnpike and [missed this] agency, can we be more efficient. Won’t cut school funding. continue to fund basic funding forward, early childhood education. would rather invest pre-k than spend 10 times more building jails.
TC: We need to go through and look at budget and work with agencies. use auditor generals example of ineligible payments in welfare, reform plan, work with legislature, cut per diems, reduce size of fleet, institute zero based budgeting, Dept of Community and Economic Development has 300 separate programs. school funding, take a look at it, not committed to cost funding program, in favor of early childhood education. generational change. if we invest in pre-k education, we’re going to save ourselves money over a generation.
Q8: property taxes, what is wrong with HB 1275, shift from property tax to sales tax, with exemptions
TC: issue been going on since eisenhouwer administration. Looked at hb 1275, concerned that amount of revenue raised is insufficient to support school districts and counties. talked to many people, can look at what revenues we have, and what size of sales tax, idea appears to be fair, reaches all kinds of people. the problem is a spending problem. schools and counties spending a lot of money. need to get that under control.
DO: Tom has campaign ad against me for this. the largest property tax was under predecessor, who is now on tom’s campaign committee. Allegheny County has not had a property tax increase in 7 years. I delivered on campaign promise. In first debate Tom criticized me on school education, now agrees with me. He changes his views. That house bill needs serious consideration. but if we do that take it to voters via referendum. I would investigate issue of doing away with property tax but only if way to fund schools and passes a referendum.
TC: we will take a look at this. nice if we could find a source to fund all this but must be sure you are replacing revenue with revenue neutral. He says ads incorrect. He said he would cut prop tax 10% but he hasn’t.
Q9: kids can’t make grade level in reading in math, failing schools in particular areas, school choice?
DO: Tom voted to raise taxes when he was elected. On education, continue to reform and fix charters, supported them in my city. but don’t pit one school against another. hold them accountable. support program where companies can give money to schools, support grant program for kids stuck in poorly performing schools.
TC: school system across state that is failing and broken. we have to fix it. very detailed plan on website. early childhood initiative. earned income tax benefit for businesses, vouchers are a yes for me. let students and teachers and parents know what schools are failing.
Q10: taxes versus fees, Corbett quote that people prefer to take unemployment vs work
TC: People of PA out there looking for jobs. we need to work much better on workforce development, to match jobs that are available. need to develop workforce for the future. recently in career center in Northeast PA, observed 65 year old man learning skills to run a computer to run a lathe. statement I made was in response to two anecdotes reported to me. got to get people the jobs we should develop. Marcellus shale will grow 100k of jobs. I have signed a pledge not to increase taxes or fees
DO: I take exception with what he’s saying. He’s on records saying he doesn’t want to extend unemployment because jobs are there. I don’t need to sign a pledge because I’ve done that. I heard TC say in first debate that he would increase unemployment taxes. I have a track record and platform, applauded in some places, not in others but consistent. Allegheny has lowest foreclosure and is recognized on “best” lists in magazines
Q11: Marcellus shale. severance tax? do we ask developers to pay now or let them pay state later in diff kinds of taxes
DO: we should do what every state is doing, a competitive severance tax. replace all cuts in Dept of Environmental Protection, has taken 28% cut, watch water quality, growing greener fund, watch roads, etc for wear. make sure industry understand they will hire our people not people from elsewhere before we will issue permits.
TC: we have to understand we are the Saudi Arabia of natural gas. need to develop now because will bring hundreds of thousands of jobs. no severance, they pay through income and royalty taxes. economy in areas there are now growing. DEP secretary has said permits have allowed him to hire enough people to make sure environment guarded. I’m the only one here that has protected environment as US attorney. As attorney General worked with legislature to increase penalties against those who have harmed environment
DO: Tom not the only one who has protected environment. TC taken more money than anyone from natural gas. He is jeopardizing the environment. while in private sector he defended largest [missed this] of the environment, goes both ways. these CEOs know they have to pay the tax, they are willing to pay the tax
TC: my record is clear on protecting environment. When I was working with that company it was to make them compliant with environmental laws. look at taxes of Texas. if looking at how other states have severance tax, let’s look at their entire tax system.
Q12: no bid contracts, Rendell criticized for this
TC: The governor serves the people of PA. Under Gov. Ridge there was a bar for people to lobby government. totally inappropriate for governor to create contracts or hire legislator who is out of office to keep them on payroll.
DO: I will not do that. I have a reform paper out on that. Everything will be competitively bid. no sole sourcing of contracts. 2 year or more moratorium on lobbying, etc by former employees.
Q13: You are Catholic, how will faith affect decisions, abortion
DO: product of Catholic school, part of who I am, wouldn’t change abortion law.
TC: Our faith guides how we make decisions. must do the right thing. decisions will be made in best interests of PA. support current abortion law, if the legislature passes stricter law I will sign it.
Q14: Medicaid, 20% of state budget, will you pledge not to cut?
TC: find waste in Medicaid, look at auditor general’s report. won’t make pledge without knowing what money we will be getting from feds on that, do my best to keep it at 20%.
DO: do everything I can not to cut Medicaid. look at all parts of budget before looking at this part. health care generally will be a challenge. We need to implement it, watched costs of health care rise. problem with adult basic. called for insurance companies to extend contract till 2014 to make sure we don’t throw 45K off roles before health care reform implemented.
Q15: immigration only federal concern
DO: legally has to be done at fed level
TC: feds have duty to enforce laws. states can make sure payments not going to illegals.
Closing statements
TC: thanks, The next governor has serious challenges. I view them as opportunities. take PA back to being an example for other states. next governor has to make tough decisions. I’ve done that throughout my entire career. Look at Chris Christie (NJ) and Bob McDonnnell (VA) who were prosecutors and had to make tough decisions. distinct choices between candidates. Onorato will increase taxes and unemployment, trying to be all things to all people, Rendell-like policies. if you want someone who will bring change, job creation to PA, vote for me.
DO: thanks. Corbett wishes he were running against Ed Rendell but he is running against me. I have a record of downsizing government, will bring an outsiders point of view, never been part of Harrisburg. will make real reforms. worked with private sector to create more jobs. I’ll take on Harrisburg and even legislature. I know people are hurting out there. I respectfully ask for your vote.
from the inbox:
Pennsylvania’s leading gun violence prevention organization, CeaseFirePA, endorsed Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dan Onorato today, praising his support of common-sense legislation that respects Pennsylvanians’ Second Amendment rights while getting illegal handguns off the streets.
“I am a strong believer in gun owners’ rights, and I know that we can respect those rights while making our communities safer,” said Onorato. “While Tom Corbett is representing the fringe of his party, I will stand with law enforcement and community leaders to fight for public safety.”
Most recently, Onorato, CeaseFirePA and mayors and chiefs of police from across the state have called on Corbett to use his existing authority as Attorney General to close the Florida Loophole. Under the loophole, even when Pennsylvania law enforcement officials deny or revoke a concealed-carry permit because of a history of arrests, domestic violence or substance abuse, a suspect can carry a concealed weapon with permission from the state of Florida.
Corbett can close the loophole with 30 days notice simply by dissolving the state’s reciprocity agreement with Florida.
But at Saturday night’s gubernatorial debate, the Harrisburg Republican went further than his usual statement that the loophole is not a problem. This time, he denied that it even existed.
“I do not believe, as the newspapers say, that there is a Florida Loophole, as everybody says there is,” Corbett told moderator John Baer. [Capitolwire, 10/16/2010]
In March, 175 Pennsylvania mayors signed a letter to Corbett asking him to close the loophole. Newspapers from Pittsburgh [Post Gazette, 10/4/2010] to Scranton [Times-Tribune, 6/5/2010] have called to end the loophole. The Pennsylvania Sheriffs’ Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Western Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police, and other law enforcement leaders have all called for the loophole to be closed.
“No mother should have to bury her 14- month-old child," said Mary Beth Hacke, a CeaseFirePA board member whose son was killed in his car seat by a stray bullet. “We need real leadership to help keep our families and communities safe. Tom Corbett has proven that he's not on our side, and Dan Onorato is the only candidate for Governor who is.”
Onorato released a policy paper in March detailing his plans for public safety. It includes:
* fighting for common-sense laws such as requiring people to report when a handgun has been lost or stolen;
* prosecuting straw purchasers and other violators to the fullest extent of the law; and
* toughening penalties for criminals who violate gun laws.
“Dan Onorato is the only candidate who will protect our streets from gun violence and institute common-sense solutions,” CeaseFirePA President Phil Goldsmith said. “Reasonable proposals like child safety locks, mandatory reporting of stolen guns and closing the Florida Loophole are in the best interest of everyday Pennsylvanians and law-abiding gun owners.”
Onorato pledged that, as Governor, he will work with communities to improve public safety statewide.
“We should never outsource our law enforcement to other states, and as Attorney General, Tom Corbett should know that,” Onorato said. “Public safety is a basic requirement for economic growth and stable communities, and cracking down on illegal handguns will be a top priority when I’m Governor.”
Dan Onorato is the Democratic candidate for governor. He is currently the Executive of Allegheny County, the second most populous area of the state. Note this from Wikipedia:
The city [Pittsburgh] has redeveloped abandoned industrial sites with new housing, shopping and offices, such as The Waterfront and the SouthSide Works. While Pittsburgh faced an economic crisis in the 1980s as the regional steel industry waned,[16] modern Pittsburgh is economically strong.[17] The housing market is relatively stable despite a national subprime mortgage crisis, and Pittsburgh added jobs in 2008 even as the national economy entered a significant jobs recession.[18]
The candidates for governor have started to show up a lot in the media: commercials, newspaper articles, and all those ghastly blog posts (!). So we are learning about them. But what about the prospective first ladies? Who are the women behind the men?
Let’s take a quick look.
Shelly Onorato, wife of Democratic candidate Dan Onorato, is from Mountaintop, Luzerne County. She has a graduate degree in the health field and works part time as a dental hygienist and health care consultant. Mrs. Onorato has concentrated her energies on raising the couple’s three children.
Susan M. Corbett has played a much more public role. She worked at the Carnegie Institute, then the Carnegie Library. In 1993 she shifted to the Pittsburgh Arts and Lecture Series and in 1999 became director of the program. (This series was sometimes called the Three Rivers Lecture Series and the Drue Heinz Lectures) In 2005 she was named one of the top 50 creative forces in Pittsburgh. After her husband Tom was elected Attorney General of Pennsylvania in 2004 she looked for a job closer to Harrisburg and in 2006 joined the Gettysburg Foundation and is now a vice president for programming, membership and development.. According to their website (www.gettysburgfoundation.org), “The Gettysburg Foundation is a private, nonprofit educational organization working in partnership with the National Park Service to enhance the preservation and understanding of the heritage and lasting significance of Gettysburg.” Mrs. Corbett is also a trustee of the Carnegie Museum and was appointed by Gov. Rendell to the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. In 2008 2007 her Gettysburg Foundation salary was $81,054. [blogger’s note: According to public documents her salary in 2009 was $117,865.]. Update: apologies -- I used the date of the source article's publication (2008) not the year of the data (2007).
Mrs. Onorato could probably continue to work part-time as a dental hygienist but Mrs. Corbett might run into some problems working as a fundraiser while serving as the state’s first lady, although I will confess a great deal of ignorance on the rules surrounding this.
Sources:
Onorato:
Infield, Tom, “Onorato reports his 2009 family income,” Philadelphia Inquirer April 9, 2010
McNulty, Timothy, “Chief executive candidate Onorato not known for backing off quietly little posing, lots of passion,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 10/19/2003.
Corbett
Gettysburg Foundation (www.gettysburgfoundation.org)
Hoover, Bob, “Lecture series leader leaving,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette March 22, 2006.
James, Erin, “Following battlefield center’s cash,” Evening Sun, Sept. 17, 2008.
“The top 50 creative forces in Pittsburgh,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette June 5, 2005.
Last Thursday, Chris Brennan of Philly Clout talked with Dan Onorato, the Democratic candidate for governor. The five minute video is available on philly.com, at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/cityhall/PhillyClout_Talks_WithDan_Onorato.html It is listed as being 18 minutes long but is actually on 5, so it's quick listen.
I typed up some brief notes, not intended as a transcription. As always, I apologize in advance for any errors or misconceptions.
Onorato is running against Republican Tom Corbett.
[Opening screen shot of Onorato talking]
DO: Considering that a year and a half ago I was down 25 points and now I'm 5 points down, with 40% not having an opinion, I'd say I'm making headway.
[Onorato and Brennan sit down to talk]
CB: Your campaign announced it had raised over $3M dollars, even though the next reporter period is about 6 weeks away, are you releasing that number to show momentum?
DO: The amount of money raised is a measuring stick but only one. The media reports on money when the reports are filed. This is another example of why my campaign if viable. Between fundraising, field operation, etc. we will win.
BC: Corbett is ahead. When will you go on the air and spend some of that money?
DO: I spent a lot of money in primary and had a big win. Both Tom and I need to get our name out there. We will run ads.
CB: You've held a fundraiser with Bill Clinton, possibly your biggest fundraiswer of the season. Will you ask President Obama to come and campaign for you? biggest fundraiers of season? BO?
DO: We haven't tried to contact the president yet.
CB: Corbett cals you his tax raising opponent. You placed a tax on alcoholic beverages. Corbett says he won't raise taxes but will balance the budget.
DO: His talk doesn’t match his rhetoric. He's never been an executive; he's never governed. The only department he runs he asks for more money each year. I know something about streamlining. I support a severance tax on Marcellus Shale; we can fund economic activity such as water and sewer lines.
CB: You are in favor the lowest severance tax in the country, as cited in a political publication.
DO: They got that wrong. They asked what I thought was a reasonable severance tax; I mentioned Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas as places that have taxes. We need to find a way that is safe for the environment but doesn't kill the industry.
Other Onorato news: If you follow Onorato on twitter (@dan_onorato) you will have noticed that this past weekend he was making his usual round of Philadelphia area picnics; one with Rep. Ron Waters Village Family Reunion another with Laborers Local 332, and I think there might have been a third event in there somewhere. Previously Onorato has visited with voters in, among other places, Montco, Bucks Co, and other sections of Philadelphia.
Mrs. Onorato has put together a small online photo scrapbook of his travels. Shelly has my sympathy -- I've been dealing with vacation photos recently.
20th Annual Stu Bykofsky Candidates Comedy Night.
This annual event is a fundraiser for Variety, the children’s charity. Bob Kelly of CBS 3 started things off. Stu Bykofsky acted as master of ceremonies with some assistance from his fellow Philadelphia Daily News colleague Jenice Armstrong. Mike Driscoll of Finnegan’s Wake donated the venue. The servers were working without pay to keep event costs down. The room was packed; there were considerably more people here this year than in 2008. (I wasn’t there in 2009 and so can’t comment on that.) More regular folks are attending – there were three “general admission” tables, compared to about 3 chairs in 2008.
Since this is a political blog I’m going to gloss over everything non-political. Since it is a family blog I won’t repeat any of the off-color humor, though I think there was less of it this year than in 2008. Remember that these candidates are not (intentionally) comedians, though most made a valiant effort. This is not an effort to provide a complete transcription, just a flavor of what was said. Check your local newspaper for coverage and statewide political blogs for video (www.pa2010.com is planning some video, others might as well).
Personal comments are in italics.
Tom Corbett, Attorney General and Republican candidate for governor, started things off. He reminded Stu that the Attorney General’s office has oversight over charities. John Baer of the Daily News said that Corbett is boring but Onorato is annoying. Corbett was born in Philadelphia, then moved to Pittsburgh. Noting that Dan Onorato has done research on him, Corbett said they had done research on Onorato and uncovered his secret [shows photos of Onorato in a Cowboys jersey, #81]. Corbett recently read a police blotter and learned that two people had pushed over the statue of the Philly Phanatic and that’s why he believes in the death penalty. He would have bought another table but bonuses are out in Harrisburg. Onorato put a tax on alcohol. If elected, Corbett will be the first governor born in Philadelphia for many years. He thinks Ed Rendell was born in Taxomia. Shows photo of the cover to an old book, Tom Corbett Goes to the Moon. Shows another photo of actor Leslie Nielsen and says they were separated at birth. [There is a strong resemblance.] He also took a fake phone call from Vince Fumo.
Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-08) was next. He said he was nervous and would rather be having a tickle fight with Eric Massa. Murphy said he asked Joey Vento for advice and Vento told him to say [Murphy said “Hello, my name is Patrick Murphy” in Spanish.] Mike Fitzpatrick [the Republican challenger] couldn’t be here. He’s in Kenya with tea party activists looking for Obama’s birth certificate. They’ve almost found it – it’s right next to Sadam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction, Bush’s military records and Charlie Rangel’s tax returns. The Republicans are after him this year and might give him the kiss of death – Sarah Palin’s endorsement.
Bykofsky notes that Congressman Jim Gerlach is in Washington as the House is in session, and that Gerlach did not send a surrogate.
Congressman Bob Brady (D-01) was up next. [I think he is doing something different with his hair.]. Brady would rather be lucky than good. Most elected officials are jokes in their day job and now they have to be jokes in their night job, too. Someone put a gun in his face recently and asked for his money. He told the robber he was a congressman and the robber said “Then give me all my money.” Brady said he won’t cut people down in his comments. He tells one joke about the lack of a Mexican Olympic team – everyone who can run or jump is already in America. [He told two very off color jokes that I won’t repeat here.]
Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-02) took the stage next. His remarks were mean-spirited, generic Republican jokes. They weren’t funny and he left a poor impression. This is a charity event, Congressman, tone it down.
Joe Scott Conklin, a professional comedian, came out and told a number of jokes and did voice impersonations of several elected officials, including Mayor Mike Nutter, Gov.Ed Rendell and Sen. Arlen Specter. He was funny and the impressions were good.
Mike Fitzpatrick, former Republican congressman from the 8th congressional district, running for that office again, could not appear. He sent Andre Watson (not sure of the spelling here) as a surrogate. He says he told Obama he was worried about being in over his head and Obama said “Tell me about it.” Fattah alleviated his fears of being the least funniest man in the room [thunderous applause from audience] Fitzpatrick can’t be here for family reasons. He promised his kids or maybe they promised him to go camping. They were canoeing down a river hoping to see Charlie Rangel going up without a paddle. [two Irish jokes about Murphy and Fitzpatrick and one off color joke about the stiumulus]
Dee Carson Adcock, Republican candidate for the 13th district. Most of the time he’s been campaigning he’s been trying to keep people from laughing at him. Someone told him to break a leg and he asked if that was covered by the new health plan. [He told several sports jokes but I don’t know sports and so can’t record them well.]
Pat Meehan, Republican candidate for the 7th congressional district. [Starts with long joke about Republicans, very funny but a little off color and hard to write down all of it.] He got interested in politics when Thatcher Longstreth came to his school. This is a tough economy. Some of the Philadelphia city agencies are taking their bribes on the installment plan. He hoped if he got elected to take the train to Washington with Joe Biden and Arlen Specter but Biden doesn’t take the train anymore and Specter keeps switching seats.
Rick Hellberg, Republican candidate for the 2nd congressional district. He told several jokes about Stu Bykofsky, including saying that Bykofsky is the only journalist that can call Larry King a kid. It is hard to find out who your ward leader is in Philadelphia. He thought only that kid in The Sixth Sense could see dead people. As a Republican he’s supposed to think the Democrats are in bed with the media. At least Chaka Fattah married the media. Fattah is easing those Philadelphians who miss John Street.
Dr. Manan Trivedi, Democratic candidate for the 6th congressional district. He grew up in a rural area of Berks County. He’s the only kid who tipped a cow and then had to worship it. He and his brother were the only Indian-Americans at their school. They had the weight of the entire spelling bee team on their shoulders. He was voted most likely to own a convenience store and his yearbook quote was “thank you, come again.” He served as a battalion surgeon with the Navy in Iraq. The only phone call he got in the 6 months he was there was a fundraising call from Allyson Schwartz. He has a young daughter now, 3 months old. He practices his speeches in front of her. She burps, spits and poops in her pants. He said it was just like the last time he went out drinking with Patrick Murphy.
Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-13) couldn’t be here and sent a surrogate but the surrogate was tied up in Washington also so the surrogate sent a surrogate, Neil Deegan. His remarks were short and he praised Variety and the event.
Pat Toomey, Republican candidate for Senate started off by saying “Does Bob Brady have a safe seat or what?” Joe Biden and Dan Quayle are both coming out with books this fall. Watch out for a shortage of crayons. Obama celebrated his birthday with Oprah and Gayle King. Gayle said it was great that they could celebrate with the most important person in the world and it was nice that Obama could be there, too. Al Gore is involved in an embarrassing scandal and it is all over Google – do you think he regrets inventing the Internet now? Al and Tipper have separated; even the trees reject his hugs now. Who would have thought that Bill and Hillary would be the happy couple. This year the Democrats have tackled some big topics – immigration, don’t ask don’t tell, legalizing marijuana, and so on. So if you’re a gay pot-smoking Mexican wanting a job in the Navy it’s a good year for you. He also had a list of the top ten reasons why he is running (among them, he needs the money, get the bonus due his father [this is a dig at Specter who said he ran for office to get the military bonus promised his father], fish stick Friday in the Senate dining room, etc.
Dan Onorato, Democratic candidate for governor, was late because he was at an event with Bill Clinton. [Onorato said the mirror event in Pittsburgh is off the record so he was surprised to see press here. I’ll give him a pass since he wasn’t expecting to be recorded, etc. The jokes I noted involved borrowing an EZ Pass from DRPA and the Philadelphia city council taking the Drop program.]
Joe Sestak, Democratic candidate for Senate. He runs his staff like the Navy, low pay, bad food and lots of flogging. Then he learned that Vince Fumo had his staff mow his lawn. He asked various pols for ideas on how to run. Brady said the last time he ran was when he heard Geno’s was closing. Nutter said to tell people you’re going to close the Library of Congress. Sestak is Slovak for job offer. He then showed slides of the top 10 job offers he received, including etiquette coach for Rahm Emmanuel. [The last one was nanny to Rick Santorum’s children with the photo of his sad children from election night when Santorum lost – picking on someone’s kids is, in my opinion, a cheap shot.
Bryan Lentz, Democratic candidate for the 7th congressional district closed the show. He said sitting through all the comedy routines he could see why some politicians chose prison over running for re-election. He really liked the guy do did the imitation of an angry Chaka Fattah. [much laughter and applause from the audience]. He had nothing to do with Jim Schneller getting on the ballot but Schneller is coming on after him and if their jokes sound the same it is because Lentz’s campaign volunteers wrote his jokes too. His opponent is giving him a hard time about Nancy Pelosi. It is true that she did host a fundraiser for him and he did have her name tattooed on his [pause] leg, and he did give her a pedicure. But if Meehan wins he’ll have to paint the tan on John Boehner.
And with that, at close to 10:30, the show closed and those remaining in the audience left.
My vote for best line: Lentz commenting on the guy who did an imitation of the angry Chaka Fattah. Best newcomer’s routine: Dr. Manan Trivedi. Worst of the show: Chaka Fattah.
There were a number of political events this weekend. I didn't get to all of them but here are some brief descriptions from my own observation and email / tweets.
Dan Onorato, Democratic candidate for governor, held another in a series of picnics to get to know residents in the greater Philadelphia area. This one was in Malcolm X Park. Previous picnics have been held in Bucks and Montgomery Counties and other parts of Philadelphia. The usual format of these events is informal, with Onorato talking with people individually.
Bryan Lentz, current state rep for the 161st district and Democratic candidate for the 7th congressional district, held a townhall meeting on economic issues. A crowd of about 50 asked questions covered a range of topics.
Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz's campaign picnic was moved indoors due to rain but went on nonetheless. A sizeable crowed came out to hear her talk about legislative successes (health care, financial regulation) and issues coming up for action (whether or not to let tax breaks expire). The diversity among the audience was reflected in the range of headgear: Eagles hat, Temple U hat, American flag doo rag, and a rainbow of turbans.
Dan Onorato, the Democratic candidate for governor, is not well-known on this side of the state. To be honest I barely knew who he was when he announced his candidacy. In the interim, I've had the opportunity to see him at five events. He spoke at three and at the other two talked with people individually. (see previous blog posts here and here). That's not really enough exposure to form a definitive opinion of someone but it's enough for an initial impression.
Onorato is both an accountant and a lawyer and that shows. He isn't flashy or visibly charismatic; on the other hand he isn't stiff either. He speaks and moves with quiet energy and knows how to work a crowd. When talking with individuals he focuses on that person and listens to what they have to say. He doesn't rely on staff to move him from one part of a room or crowd to another or act as a buffer with people. He's pleasant and people seem comfortable approaching him. While not a raconteur he speaks well and can get his point across; he can throw in examples and answers questions without getting rattled. His staff is friendly and handles local arrangements well. I've also been pleased to note that the videographer from the Republican campaign (who waits and watches for a candidate to stumble or say the wrong thing) is treated courteously.
Onorato is making an effort to meet voters in the Philadelphia area this summer and if you have the opportunity to go out and do so I encourage you to. For background, his campaign has very detailed policy statements up at www.voteonorato.com.
Dan Onorato, Democratic candidate for governor, is having a field day with Tom Corbett's comments on the unemployed. Today the campaign released a video ad contrasting Corbett saying people won't go back to work until their unemployment benefits run out with a newscast on a job fair that brought out 800 people for 100 jobs.
Yesterday Onorato's campaign released this statement:
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dan Onorato today joined Philadelphia workers and job-seekers in denouncing Tom Corbett’s repeated comment that the unemployed would rather collect benefits than go back to work.
“Tom Corbett has said since March that he thinks Pennsylvanians would rather be unemployed than earning money for their families,” Onorato said. “A Harrisburg insider like Tom Corbett who doesn’t even recognize the problems families are facing will never be able to offer the solutions that Pennsylvania need.”
On Friday, Corbett told Pennsylvania Public Radio that: “People don’t want to come back to work while they still have unemployment…. The jobs are there, but if we keep extending unemployment the people are going to sit there…”
The comment echoed a similar remark in March, when following a visit to a job referral center in Lancaster, Corbett “provocatively suggested that Congress’ decision to extend unemployment benefits might be having the opposite of its intended effect and actually be serving as a disincentive to go back to work. ‘What I see here are people looking for jobs, but that’s only 10 percent [of the unemployed],’ he said. ‘What about the other 80 or 90 percent?’” [Capitol Ideas, March 18, 2010]
The fall-out from Corbett’s insult to the 591,000 unemployed Pennsylvanians continued on Wednesday, as the Philadelphia Inquirer published an editorial titled “Unemployed, not lazy,” stating that: “Tom Corbett should see all the jobless people not sitting at home.”
And the Allentown Morning Call reported that Corbett’s view of the unemployed puts him “in good company” among right-wing politicians and conservative economists.
Even as the Corbett campaign worked to deflect attention from the fact that the candidate has consistently blamed the unemployed, they have continued to struggle to identify the “source” of Corbett’s observation.
On Friday, Corbett “pointed to one candy company in Camp Hill as an example, saying the owner told him they hired 50 European college students for the summer when the company was unable to fill its full-time positions.” [Capitolwire, July 9, 2010]
Later, his spokesman told another reporter that, “Corbett was simply relating a story told by the owner of a plumbing business. He did not name the business.” [Allentown Morning Call, July 9, 2010]
On Monday, the number of sources grew. Speaking in Lancaster, Corbett told Capitolwire: “That’s what had been reported to me. I’ve had three or four people tell me, people have turned down work.”
And on Philadelphia’s CBS3 TV news show yesterday, Corbett said he was “was repeating a story that I’d heard from about five, six, seven different people across the state of Pennsylvania.”
from the inbox:
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dan Onorato toured the University City Science Center today and addressed its employees and start-up business owners on his plan to boost jobs in the Commonwealth. As part of the tour, Onorato visited Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, a “graduate” of the Science Center’s business incubator that now rents space in its research park.
“Business incubators like the Science Center play a critical role in growing the Knowledge Economy and creating new companies and new jobs,” Onorato said. “As Governor, I will establish the environment that the private sector needs in order to thrive and to make Pennsylvania an attractive destination for companies to start and grow.”
As Allegheny County Executive, Onorato has helped the Pittsburgh region maximize its economic potential and retain college graduates. In April, The Huffington Post ranked Pittsburgh among the best cities for the recently graduated, citing its “bustling education and health care sectors.” Forbes magazine has rated the area among the top 10 spots for college graduates and the number one most livable region in America.
The University City Science Center operates primarily as a business incubator for small life science-based businesses and technology firms. One of the largest urban research parks in the United States, the Science Center is part of the University City Keystone Improvement Zone and Keystone Opportunity Zone. During its 47 years in West Philadelphia, it has helped more than 350 small companies with the space and resources needed to innovate and commercialize new technologies. Those firms have created more than 15,000 permanent jobs in the Philadelphia region.
Avid Radiopharmaceuticals is a molecular imaging company that has recently developed a method for detecting Alzheimer’s disease in living patients. In an article about Avid last week, the New York Times wrote that the “tiny start-up company might have overcome one of the biggest obstacles in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease.”
As Allegheny County Executive, Onorato worked to encourage business investment and create jobs. Under his leadership, Allegheny County has a lower unemployment rate than both the state and the nation and was recognized by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as having the fastest rate of private sector job growth in the country in April 2010.
As Governor, Onorato will work to encourage economic growth across Pennsylvania. Onorato’s plan to grow the economy and strengthen communities will:
· Establish a climate where businesses can succeed;
· Launch a “Grow Your Own” success strategy to help firms start, expand and prosper;
· Encourage entrepreneurship and innovation;
· Boost export opportunities for Pennsylvania companies and attract foreign companies to the state; and
· Ensure that Pennsylvania’s workforce is prepared for and able to access high-skill, well-paying jobs.
“I am the only candidate running for Governor who has experience managing a government and turning around an economy,” continued Onorato. “I am ready to take on the many economic obstacles we face in Pennsylvania and put our state back on track.”
from the inbox:
Gubernatorial nominee Dan Onorato and State Rep. Bryan Lentz today refuted Corbett campaign claims that a loophole in Pennsylvania’s gun laws is not connected with serious crime. Onorato and Lentz cited several examples of violent crimes committed by residents of Pennsylvania holding Florida gun permits as a result of Corbett’s policies.
“I support gun owners’ rights, and closing the ‘Corbett Loophole’ is a common-sense safeguard to protect our communities,” Onorato said.
As Attorney General, Tom Corbett has allowed Pennsylvania residents to ignore state law and receive a permit to carry concealed weapons by applying to the Florida Department of Agriculture. Under the “Corbett Loophole,” even when Pennsylvania law enforcement officials deny or revoke a permit because of a history of arrests, domestic violence or substance abuse, the person can carry a concealed weapon by asking Florida for permission.
Corbett, who took office as Attorney General in 2005, could have closed the loophole at any time and protected Pennsylvanians with 30 days notice simply by cancelling the agreement with Florida.
The Pennsylvania Sheriffs’ Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Western Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police and other law enforcement leaders have called for the loophole to be closed, joining at least 175 Republican and Democratic mayors who wrote to the Attorney General earlier this year requesting action and had their letter ignored.
The Philadelphia Daily News reported that, "Corbett spokesman Kevin Harley said Onorato and his allies can't point to a single incident of serious crime linked to a permit from Florida." (6/19/10)
“Tom is wrong on the facts, and his policy is wrong for Pennsylvania,” Onorato said.
According to the independent organization CeaseFire PA, Pennsylvanians with Florida permits include:
· A man whose Pennsylvania permit was revoked in 2005 when he was arrested for domestic assault after punching a woman in the face and kicking her in the head;
· A man with a history of prior arrests for violent crime who was stopped by police when his car fit the description of a vehicle used in a shooting – the man had been rejected for a Pennsylvania permit and was carrying a Florida permit; and
· A man who police tried to serve with a warrant for homicide, who had a history of drug and murder arrests and had been rejected for a Pennsylvania permit.
“As a former prosecutor, I am disgusted that Tom Corbett would allow dangerous criminals to skirt Pennsylvania law and carry concealed weapons in our Commonwealth,” Rep. Lentz said. “Since the Attorney General has failed to act, I introduced legislation to close this dangerous loophole and I am pleased to stand with Dan Onorato and call on the Legislature to pass this important public safety legislation.”
Pennsylvania law requires residents to apply to their County Sheriff – or, in Philadelphia, the Police Department – for a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Law enforcement officials are allowed to consider the applicant’s character – such as whether the person has prior violent arrests or was the subject of Protection From Abuse restraining orders – before granting the permit.
Bowing to the fringe of his party, Republican gubernatorial nominee Corbett has interpreted Pennsylvania’s reciprocity agreement with Florida to allow Pennsylvania residents to instead carry a concealed firearm here after receiving a permit from Florida – which does not give law enforcement a role or even consider whether a Pennsylvania application has previously been rejected or revoked.
Even Florida does not allow its own residents to exploit the same loophole, stating on its website that “non-resident permits cannot be honored under Florida’s reciprocity provision.”
“The ‘Corbett Loophole’ is nothing but an end-run around the law,” Onorato said. “Tom is closing his eyes and allowing dangerous criminals to carry hidden guns, and that does an injustice to every law-abiding gun owner in the Commonwealth.”
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