HARRISBURG -- U.S. Sen.-elect Bob Casey Jr. is using his last 12 days as state treasurer to tout his accomplishments and to advise Gov. Ed Rendell on appointing his replacement.

He's also taking some time to lament the "dark, sad, disturbing chapter" that ensued after legislators infamously approved hefty raises for themselves, judges and top administration officials.

"They better remember what happened," Mr. Casey said. "A lot of public confidence was eroded, in some cases irreparably."

Mr. Casey, who beat Republican incumbent Rick Santorum in the general election, leaves the treasurer's office Jan. 2, a day before U.S. senators are sworn in.

"If I have one piece of advice as I leave this town, it's, 'Make sure you learn the lessons you should have learned from this sad chapter,' " he said.

Under intense public pressure, the Legislature eventually repealed the raises but the state Supreme Court later reinstituted the pay hikes for judges, saying the constitution prohibits reductions of judicial salaries.

Those judges, whose pay is now linked to that of their federal counterparts, recently got a second raise when federal salaries were adjusted to reflect changes in the cost of living.

The issue hasn't yet died.

Mr. Casey was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed yesterday by Harrisburg activist Gene Stilp. The lawsuit alleges that Mr. Casey's office should not pay those cost-of-living increases.

Mr. Casey is waiting for advice from lawyers on how to proceed.

Meanwhile, as he leaves office he is celebrating his success at reducing account management costs, investing in alternative and renewable energy, hiring the first investigator in the office's 130-year history and making loans for rural hospitals to expand or buy medical equipment.

Mr. Casey hopes his successor will continue those programs, particularly the Hospital Enhancement Loan Program, and has told the governor as much.

"We're getting good returns on our investments and we're also helping people in their daily lives," Mr. Casey told reporters yesterday.

"The person that comes after me -- whether it's for two years, for four years or for six years -- should keep this program moving forward to help these hospitals because it's almost impossible for them to get access to capital loans any other way," he said.

The governor expects to name a new treasurer before Jan. 2, said Kate Philips, spokeswoman for Mr. Rendell.

The new treasurer would be expected to serve two years and would not be permitted to run for the office in the 2008 general election.

The state Senate must approve the governor's appointment.