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Guv candidates talk pensions, taxes, transportation

From left to right, gubernatorial candidates Tom Corbett, Joe Hoeffel, Dan Onorato, Sam Rohrer, Jack Wagner and Anthony Williams at a forum Thursday in Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA—The six candidate for governor came together for yet another forum Thursday evening, discussing a plethora issues that affect the state’s business climate, from the looming pension crisis and tax-rates to the transportation funding that could confront the state if its application to toll Interstate 80 is again rejected by the federal government.

The forum, hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and held at the National Constitution Center here, was the first time all six of the major candidate in the current field came together to talk policy. Most of the candidates have shared a stage several times by now, but state Senator Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia) is still a relatively new face and Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty left the race last month.

Republicans Tom Corbett and Sam Rohrer, as well as Democrats Williams, Dan Onorato, Joe Hoeffel and Jack Wagner all said underfunded pensions were a huge problem—an “Armageddon issue” in the words of moderator Jim Gardner. Proposing concrete solutions was a different problem for the candidates—especially during a speedy forum that left little time for nuance in complex issues.

“We are insolvent right now,” Rohrer said. “If Pennsylvania does not deal with this issue, we are only two years behind California right now, which is functionally bankrupt.”

There was relative consensus among the candidates that pensions should be consolidated and benefits, perhaps, cut.

If the state’s application to toll I-80 is turned down, it will blow a huge hole through the transportation budget. Hoeffel advocated raising the gas tax, tolls and other fees if that happens.

“My colleagues are not addressing the problem,” he said. “We can’t maintain our highways that we have. We certainly can’t increase the capacity on our interstate system. We can’t fund system without increasing taxes now.”

March 5, 2010 at 1:30 am

--pa2010.com Staff

Tags: Anthony Williams, Dan Onorato, Jack Wagner, Joe Hoeffel, Sam Rohrer, Tom Corbett

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