Gov. Ed Rendell and Republican state Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, one of the governor's chief critics in the Senate, worked audiences in separate parts of the state yesterday promoting sharply different proposals to keep college affordable.

Both men's plans offer families aid in the midst of the worst economy in decades, though both also have potentially unpopular funding mechanisms: legal video poker machines in Mr. Rendell's case, and cuts to museums and campus appropriations in Mr. Piccola's case.

Both plans face a tough fight in the divided General Assembly.

Speaking at a news conference in Harrisburg, Mr. Piccola, of Dauphin County, unveiled his response to Mr. Rendell's earlier plan. The senator would cut several items of state spending to create a pool of $145 million, adding that to the existing $407 million in tuition grants and loans offered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. The extra money would let PHEAA give tuition aid to 25,000 more students, he said.

Mr. Piccola took issue with Mr. Rendell's plan to put thousands of legal video poker machines in bars and clubs around the state, which Mr. Rendell would tax. The governor, who spoke in Pittsburgh yesterday, would use the revenue for up to $550 million in tuition aid for families making under $100,000 a year.

Mr. Piccola called the gambling-generated funding "funny money" and an inappropriate way to fund college.

However, his plan for raising $145 million would mean cutting funding for several dozen museums and universities.

First, he would eliminate a $75 million state tax credit program for movies made in Pennsylvania, one of the most recent being "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," shot in the Pittsburgh area. He contends the tax credits didn't result in more movies being shot in the state.

He also would cut by 50 percent a category of state funds called "nonpreferred institutions," one of which is the Carnegie Museums in Pittsburgh. It would lose $201,000 in the upcoming 2009-10 fiscal year starting July 1. Mr. Rendell proposed just a 10 percent cut in its funding.

Several of the nonpreferred institutions are in the Philadelphia area, where Mr. Rendell used to be mayor. These include cuts of $2.8 million for Drexel University, a $15.5 million cut for the University of Pennsylvania, and a $2.6 million cut for the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Under Mr. Piccola's plan, community colleges and the 14 state-owned universities in the State System of Higher Education would be compelled to limit tuition increases to the inflation rate.

State-related schools, including the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University, Temple University and Lincoln University, would forfeit millions of dollars in state aid if their tuition increases exceed inflation.

Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Mr. Rendell touted his relief plan during an appearance at the Community College of Allegheny County, saying thousands of families struggling through the recession need help now.

His plan would cut tuition for 170,000 eligible students choosing the 14 state-owned universities including California, Clarion, Edinboro, Indiana and Slippery Rock in Western Pennsylvania, and the 14 community colleges.

The maximum award would be $7,600, but all would pay at least $1,000 to ensure they have a stake in their own education, the governor said.

"Going to college or not going to college can make a huge difference in the individual path a boy or girl is going to take in their lifetime," he said.

Mr. Rendell defended his decision to exclude the state-related campuses, saying he does not control their tuition or spending policies. He said those schools are "not fully public universities" and should adopt the same cost-containment policies as the State System.

He said he doesn't quarrel with higher tuition on the main campus of a research university like Penn State.

"But the 20-plus satellite campuses that Penn State has are not research institutions. They are very similar to our [State System], and in many cases, the campuses are not even as nice," he said. "The State System -- $5,500 a year tuition. Satellite Penn State -- $12,000 a year."

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon blamed state aid policies. "You can't ignore inflation, cut [the] appropriation and still hold the line on tuition," he said.

Rendell aide Chuck Ardo said he's glad to hear that Mr. Piccola "shares the governor's view that more must be done to help students afford college."

"We obviously differ on how to fund this, but we are at least in agreement that families in Pennsylvania need tuition relief," he said.