Candidates Spar Over State Borrowing

Republican Tom Corbett’s gubernatorial campaign is criticizing Governor Ed Rendell for signing a 300 million dollar bond measure into law.
As part of the budget compromise, Governor Rendell and lawmakers agreed to raise Pennsylvania’s debt ceiling by 600 million dollars.
The governor is directing half of those funds to pet projects, and the General Assembly will distribute the remaining grants later this year.
Corbett spokesman Kevin Harley says the bond measures are irresponsible.

"Now’s not the time to be borrowing more money to fund projects, regardless of their worth. Fiscal discipline needs to be the order of the day, not continuing borrowing and spending and taxing."

Harley says Corbett isn’t flat-out opposed to all state borrowing.

Corbett’s opponent, Democrat Dan Onorato, says the Attorney General is playing to both sides of the aisle, when it comes to bond issues. Onorato spokesman Brian Herman says Corbett keeps changing his stance.

"It’s another part of the pattern of flip-flopping. He talks about not taking stimulus money, and then a couple weeks later he signs a letter asking the federal government for a hundred million dollars in education. He talks about limiting spending growth and cutting across the board, and then he asks for additional funds for his own office."

Onorato’s campaign points out a Corbett policy paper supports “the prudent use of debt” to fund infrastructure projects.
But in a Commonwealth Foundation candidate questionnaire, Corbett agreed the state shouldn’t take on any new debt.