Watching the money

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HARRISBURG -- Talk about preaching to the choir! You could almost hear the AMENS resound today as former Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Scranton lectured the House Republican Policy Committee about the many, many things that he claims are wrong with Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell's proposed 2007-08 state budget, which contains proposals for seven new or higher taxes.

"This budget is a document of incredible audacity and ambition," said Mr. Scranton, who was running, for a short time, for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in early 2006, but dropped out in favor of the ultimate candidate, Lynn Swann, who was later crushed by Mr. Rendell.

"This budget will have a devastating effect on the state," asserted Mr. Scranton, who was No. 2 from 1979 to 1986. "I was breathless when I first heard about it. Even Democrats are having difficulty swallowing this budget."

First, he said, Mr. Rendell is proposing "a 16 percent increase in the state sales tax. It's a 1 percentage point increase (from 6 percent to 7 percent, except in Allegheny and Philadelphia counties, where it would go from 7 to 8 percent) but that's a 16 percent increase. That will be hard on families and consumers."

Then there are the new or higher tobacco taxes, a 3 percent tax on the payrolls of companies that don't offer health insurance to their employees, a 6.17 percent tax on oil company profits and other taxes, he said.

He said the oil tax will simply be passed on and result in higher gasoline prices for motorists. He said the payroll tax will cause businesses to avoid Pennsylvania, especially new small businesses and entrepreneurs.

"There is no evidence to show that a state can tax itself into economic vitality," he said.

He said Mr. Rendell wants to borrow an additional $850 million, mainly for an energy "independence" plan focusing on non-petroleum sources. Mr. Scranton said such borrowing will just be a burden "on our children and grandchildren for the next 30 years." He said it also will raise the state's debt service payments to over $1 billion a year, one of the biggest items in the state budget. He said the state should pursue plans to find more coal and natural gas, which are native to the state.

He also said something unusual -- that Republicans shouldn't just bash mass transit systems such as the Port Authority in Allegheny County and SEPTA in Philadelphia. He said mass transit is vital to many people in the southwest and southeast, and the GOP should look for ways to privatize some lines and demand more fiscal discipline from managers of the heavily subsidized systems.

Scranton spokesman Mike DeVanney said it is far too soon to say whether Mr. Scranton may run for governor in 2010.

Controlling interests

With eight days to go before the Democratic primary, Michael Lamb and Doug Shields have a lot more cash than the three other candidates for Pittsburgh controller, according to fresh filings with the county Elections Division.

Mr. Lamb, currently Allegheny County Prothonotary, raised $122,254 in the first four months of this year, and had $107,093 in the bank coming down the home stretch. His biggest donor by far was the campaign account of County Executive Dan Onorato, which kicked in $10,000.

Not far behind Mr. Lamb was City Council President Doug Shields, raising $115,602 this year and boasting $62,200 in available funds at the end of April. His biggest donor was his brother, Darby Shields, giving $20,000. Notably, his second-biggest contributor was the late Mayor Bob O'Connor's campaign fund, giving $10,000. If Mr. Shields wins the controller's job, the late mayor's son, Corey O'Connor, is expected to run for his council seat.

Far back in the race for funds were former County Commissioner Mike Dawida, raising $17,280 and holding $6,040; Acting Controller Tony Pokora, raising $9,130 and reporting $5,071 in the bank; and Highland Park businessman DaMon Macklin, raising $3,420 and sitting on a $58 war chest.

Fiscally challenged

It's a truism in politics that incumbents raise a lot more money than challengers, but that isn't necessarily the case in this year's Pittsburgh City Council races.

In the contest for cash between council candidates, the biggest surprise so far is challenger Bruce Kraus of the South Side Flats besting incumbent Councilman Jeff Koch of Arlington. Mr. Kraus raised $41,991 this year and had $21,088 in the bank at April's end, while Mr. Koch brought in $21,003 and closed with $13,942.

In the hard-fought race between incumbent Councilman Len Bodack and challenger Patrick Dowd, currently of the school board, who's winning the money game depends on how you count it. Mr. Dowd raised $56,027 in the first four months of the year, nearly doubling Mr. Bodack's haul of $30,525. But because the incumbent started out with a lot more money, it was the Bodack camp with the most in the bank at month's end, boasting $86,315, versus $27,509 in the Dowd campaign account.

In the eight-candidate race for Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle's seat, it's the Rev. Ricky Burgess leading the pack in fund raising, but not in cash-on-hand. Rev. Burgess, who has the Democratic Committee endorsement, raised $23,837 and had $2,358 as of April 30. Ms. Carlisle raised just $10,700, but because she started out with money in the bank, had $14,009 on hand for the last two weeks of campaigning. Another challenger, Leah Kirkland, reported raising $5,440 and holding $425, but also reported getting $3,993 in supplies, materials and clothing from her mother, 12th Ward Democratic Committee Chair Jacqueline Fielder.

The mayor's five-figure fans

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl finished out April with $695,906 in the bank, and nobody to spend it against, since his Democratic rival Councilman William Peduto dropped his mayoral bid in March.

More than $100,000 of the mayor's political money came in five-figure checks -- illegal in federal elections and most states, but an entrenched part of Pennsylvania politics. The mayor's five-figure donors so far this year were the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 5 - $12,000; International Union of Operating Engineers Local 66 - $12,000; Buchanan Ingersoll Political Action Committee - $12,000; Cohen & Grigsby Political Action Committee - $11,000; Friends of Bob O'Connor - $10,000; Robert Crawford of R.E. Crawford Construction - $10,000; Philadelphia-area law firm Schiffrin & Barroway - $10,000; David Malone of Gateway Financial (a big backer of former Mayor Tom Murphy) - $10,000; Robert Lewis of Orbital Engineering - $10,000; A. Keith Staso of Huckestein Mechanical Services - $10,000.

Mr. Peduto returned his leftover campaign cash to donors, but Mr. Ravenstahl has said he'll keep his money in case he faces a General Election fight, or for future years. The mayor's office is on the ballot again in 2009.

None-of-the-above for mayor?

All that money hasn't bought the love of some Squirrel Hill types.

Members of the 14th Ward Independent Democratic Club are pointedly noting to Early Returns that they opted not to endorse Mr. Ravenstahl for mayor, even though he is unopposed in their party's primary. The feisty group in the city's biggest ward is backing Mr. Lamb for controller and Rev. Burgess for council.

Its full slate is available here.

What's good for the goose ...

Mr. Ravenstahl's political clout may also fall short of guaranteeing a free ride for his plan to win a 10-year property tax abatement for new housing Downtown and in 20 developmentally challenged neighborhoods. Councilman Jim Motznik, a mayoral ally most days, said today that he'll float an amendment that expands the proposed benefit to all city neighborhoods.

"I cannot vote for a bill that only includes 20 out of 88 neighborhoods in the city of Pittsburgh," Mr. Motznik wrote in a press release. "Neighborhoods are the heart of this city, and any bill that offers residents and developers a tax break on new development or residential improvements in the city of Pittsburgh cannot be restricted to just the Downtown, Uptown, and 20 specific neighborhoods. It needs to be citywide."

That logic could be hard to resist for council members, four of whom (not including Mr. Motznik) face the voters in contested primaries next week.

Teacher messed up

Taking no chances is Mr. Dowd, who sent out a press release today advising that he miscalculated his city and school wage taxes, and initially underpaid them by $2.12. He paid up today, plus a penalty of 2 cents.

"I take proper calculations of these figures very seriously and want to make sure the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Public Schools get every penny they are owed," said the private school teacher in his mea culpa of sorts.

Specter on immigration

Senate Democrats are seeking the help of Sen. Arlen Specter as they try to win over conservative Republican support for a major overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, according to today's Roll Call.

Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid hopes to move quickly on legislation -- which could involve the creation of a guest worker program - because the intensity of the upcoming campaign season could scuttle any future deals.

Mr. Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican known for his moderate streak, helped negotiate a bipartisan bill last year, although it died in a conference committee between the Senate and House.

"Reid has turned to Specter in the hopes of turning up the heat on Republicans to get a consensus measure ready for floor consideration," the Roll Call article says.

"Specter seems mildly more optimistic than some of his colleagues about the chances of Reid's timeline being met, saying last week that there is a 'prodigious amount of work that's going on' And while the different parties may appear to still be at odds, Specter said the Senate has shown that with any complicated legislative undertaking, 'people argue until the last minute and then come up with a deal.'

"Still, Specter did not dismiss the suggestion that the stakes are high: 'If we don't take advantage of this window of opportunity, the speculation is that there will not be another. We all realize the time is now.'"

A win for the babies

The General Assembly hasn't been able to solve high-profile issues such as lowering property taxes, or reducing state spending, or imposing term limits on itself, or decreasing the size of the nation's largest full-time Legislature.

But today it took up an issue that perhaps many people weren't aware of, the problem some young mothers are having with breast-feeding in public and being harassed for it, often by shopping mall security guards or even supervisors at their workplaces.

Some women held a demonstration today at the Capitol in favor of three measures (Senate Bills 34, 35 and 36) sponsored by Sen. Connie Williams, D-Delaware, which would make it clear that nursing mothers are permitted to feed their infants in public places, including work places. The Senate may vote on the measures as soon as this week.

"I planned this rally (today) to coincide with the upcoming observance of Mother's Day'' on Sunday, Ms. Williams said. "What a better way to honor mothers everywhere than to lend our support to a mother's choice to nurse their babies."

The first bill, Senate Bill 34, would generally give a woman the right to breast-feed in public. Senate bill 35 would ensure that a woman cannot be fired or discriminated against at her job for breast-feeding at work or at lunch. The other bill would offer tax credits to businesses that support mothers who breast-feed.

Feeling the loss

The Pittsburgh Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums were on hand this afternoon for the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police's 14th annual memorial service for fallen officers.

The group provided accompaniment for the color guard and the placement of the memorial wreath in Soldiers Grove across from the Capitol.

Three Pennsylvania officers died in service last year: Gary Skerski of the Philadelphia Police Department, Scott Wertz of the Reading Police Department and David Petzold of the Upper Saucon Township Police Department.

A year ago, a similar memorial service focused on a local officer. Joseph R. Pokorny Jr., a state police corporal, was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Carnegie in December. He was 45 and lived in Moon.