The LuLac Edition #1170, May 3rd, 2010

PHOTO INDEX: AUDITOR GENERAL JACK WAGNER AND WILKES BARRE MAYOR TOM LEIGHTON.

WAGNER GETS NOD

Auditor General Jack Wagner got a huge endorsement from the Philadelphia Inquirer this past weekend. It was significant because the hometown newspaper in Philly bypassed Montgomery County Commissioner and former Congressman Joe Hoefel and current State Senator from Philadelphia Anthony Williams. Wagner who is not running any TV ads in the state is conducting an interesting campaign of garnering endorsements from Democratic committee people, county chairs and free media. Whether that will work is open to conjecture at this point. Anyway, here’s the news on Mr. Wagner. The editorial board of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the state's largest newspaper, has announced its endorsement of Auditor General Jack Wagner for Governor. The Inquirer is the first newspaper to announce its choice among candidates competing in the Democratic gubernatorial primary on May 18th.
In an editorial published in Sunday’s edition, the newspaper put it simply: "Wagner’s background as a fiscal steward makes him best of all" of the Democratic candidates. "I am honored for the Inquirer’s endorsement and its recognition of the record and experience that I would bring to the job as Governor," Wagner said. "If elected, I pledge to be a Governor that families in southeastern Pennsylvania and all across the Commonwealth can trust and count on." Highlights of the endorsement follow: "He promises to maintain that approach if elected governor. Among his proposals, he would end expensive sole-source or emergency contracts to just one bidder, and end pay-to-play deals where state contracts can be traced to political donations. Wagner supports a constitutional convention to consider the size and scope of state government. To help get the state to shape up fiscally, he would deny pay to legislators for every day the state budget is late. Wagner also would eliminate bonuses for state workers, support caps on political donations, and have an independent commission redraw legislative district lines."
"Wagner's background makes him a very attractive candidate. The Marine veteran earned a Purple Heart in Vietnam. After graduation from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, he became a safety engineer and joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He served 10 years on the Pittsburgh City Council and 10 years in the state Senate. Wagner was elected auditor general in 2004 and was reelected in 2008, receiving the most votes of any candidate on the ballot in that presidential election year. That's a tribute to his determination as a fiscal watchdog. Under Wagner, the Auditor General's Office has completed more than 25,000 audits that have saved taxpayers millions of dollars."
"Many of now-Gov. Rendell's deep-pocketed campaign contributors are on the Onorato bandwagon, suggesting that they may think he would be a sequel to Rendell. But this is not a time when voters want what they've already had. Coming out of the recession, with state budgets across America desperate for resuscitation, they want elected leaders who make hard decisions about spending and taxes that they can confidently expect to be devoid of any calculation other than the best bottom line. The Democrats' best choice to provide that type of fiscal leadership is someone who is already taking a focused, unbiased look at how Pennsylvania can do a better job managing its budget."
Today’s endorsement is the Inquirer's third straight endorsement of Wagner for statewide office. In Wagner's first race for Auditor General in 2004, the newspaper called him "a seasoned straight-shooter" with "on-point experience," and wrote that he "has the best combination of integrity, breadth of experience, and Harrisburg know-how." In Wagner's 2008 re-election campaign, the newspaper assessed his first term and called him a "guaranteed performer.” Auditor General Jack Wagner, twice elected with bipartisan support as the state's independent fiscal watchdog, received record-breaking vote totals in his re-election in 2008. As a gubernatorial candidate, Wagner keeps earning endorsements nearly every day from elected officials, party leaders, county committees, labor groups, editorial boards, and organizations that want to bring fundamental reform and fiscal responsibility to state government. As Governor, Wagner's top priorities for Pennsylvania will include: providing a HOPE Scholarship Program to help families afford the cost of higher education, maintaining vital government services without raising taxes, reforming state government, investing in smart infrastructure projects that create jobs, and maximizing the state's new Marcellus Shale energy resources to create jobs and reduce the cost of natural gas in an environmentally responsible way. Wagner is a decorated Vietnam War combat veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, former member and president of the Pittsburgh City Council, and former state senator representing Allegheny County. Between the time of his military service and his service as an elected public official, Wagner worked his way through college on the GI Bill and as a paramedic, followed by six years working as a Certified Safety Professional helping to ensure that businesses provide safe work environments for their employees.

LEIGHTON AND PROPERTY TAXES

Mayor Tom Leighton is making property tax reform an issue in his campaign. The Mayor is running a TV spot highlighting this as a major focus of his campaign. Leighton is running against State Representative John Yudichak for Senator Ray Musto’s 14th District seat.