Corbett, Rohrer Debate

The two Republicans running for governor of Pennsylvania debated each other in a brief forum at the state Republican Committee’s winter meeting this weekend.
Attorney General Tom Corbett and State Representative Sam Rohrer laid out their platforms for State Committee members on the eve of the party’s endorsement vote.
Corbett, who won the GOP’s official nod the next day, said if elected, he’ll push for a two-year budget cycle.

"We’d reduce the cost of government in just the planning of the budget, which costs very much. That’s one aspect. It would bring certainty and predictability to the people who do receive state money, including the agencies, including the counties, including the school districts."

Rohrer says if he’s elected governor, he’d cut state spending by at least twelve percent focusing the reductions on three departments.

"Welfare, Education and Corrections. And I can guarantee you there are duplicity programs. There are things that we are doing there that we must not do and we cannot do, and frankly, exceed our ability to pay. So if we’re going to reduce spending we’ll have to go where we spend the most money."

Both Corbett and Rohrer promised not to raise taxes. Neither candidate likes Governor Rendell’s latest budget proposal, which would increase spending by about a billion dollars.