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Sunday, March 24, 1996 Page:
Hard to put a label on, Gov. Ridge comes to town to talk issues
It is hard to put a label on Gov. Tom Ridge, but it’s easy to see where his
heart isRidge exudes strength, balance and determination when talking about
the issues of the day, as he did a week ago here at a meeting with the Times
Leader editorial board.
I found him not to be overtly conservative or liberal; yet the word
“moderate” doesn’t seem to fit his bold agenda, either.
He recognizes the need for more revenue, a liberal response, for example,
to maintain Pennsylvania’s 45,000 miles of roadways, and is proposing a
gasoline tax to raise the money; yet he emphatically makes the point that more
money is not the way to improve our educational system, a conservative
approach.
He jokes about his gas tax proposal. “There was talk of me running for vice
president,” he says. “So I thought I would nip that in the bud.”
Even though he said it in jest, it is not hard to see Ridge as a national
figure given the right launching pad.
Education is heartfelt
Education, however, is where the heart of this impressive man lies. He
speaks with conviction on a range of issues, but on education there is
tenacity in his tone.
“I don’t know how anybody can be satisfied with education today,” said
Ridge, who last year proposed a voucher system and charter schools.
“I teed it up,” he says of his failed attempt at educational reform, which
didn’t make it through the legislature. “But I’ll be back.
“No one has ever challenged the educational establishment,” he said. “The
teachers’ union and leadership are out of touch.”
Ridge wants to “waive the mandates” on local schools. “School directors are
in a straight jacket from Harrisburg,” he said, making his point by saying
that state regulations on teacher certification are exclusionary to the point
where they would prevent a school from hiring a retired engineer to teach math
“even if he wanted to do it for nothing.”
A product of Catholic schools himself, Ridge values the importance of the
“parent-teacher-
child triangle” but wants to put more power in the hands of the parents.
Ridge probably won’t push for educational reform this year, because it is
an election year and the legislature will duck it. But next year, like he
says, “he’ll be back.”
On the local front
When asked which of the “Northeast delegation” of legislators Ridge works
with most closely, he paused for about 30 seconds, then responded, “Charlie
Lemmond. He’s a great guy.
“He is always focused and he’s a great sounding board,” Ridge said of the
Republican Senator of the 10th Senatorial District. “In his own quiet way, he
gets things done.”
Ridge says he also “works well” with Sen. Ray Musto, 14th District, who is
one of the few Democrats in the state who is somewhat receptive to Ridge’s
school-choice legislation. While Musto hasn’t officially endorsed Ridge’s
plan, he is seen to represent the interests of the Catholic Church which
strongly supports school-choice legislation.
The arena
Ridge shows a keen knowledge of local issues and is abreast on the proposed
civic arena, the controversy over the exits off I-81 and the Hazleton Beltway
project.
“Exit 46,” said the governor, “is integral” to the construction of the
civic arena.
Ridge said he allowed the $20 million in arena funding to sit in escrow
this year in the general fund “to give the community a chance to find another
way to come up with its share.”
According to my sources, an arena financing package will be announced by
the end of this week with Legg Mason offering bonds to finance the $20 million
local share of the project.
Ridge said he would like to create a statewide “sports authority” to handle
the complexities of planning for recreational facilities, especially in
Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. “Who knows, if there was one in place last year,
we might have handled the convention center differently,” he said.
The damn dam
Two weeks ago, Ridge sent his senior advisor, Pat Solano of Pittston, a
Harrisburg political pro and also a close advisor to Sen. Lemmond, to the
Luzerne County commissioners to relay the message that he was not willing to
allocate state money for the inflatable dam proposed by Congressman Paul
Kanjorski as part of the federal Wyoming Valley flood protection plan.
“Paul said, `I think Pat Solano is speaking out of turn,”‘ Ridge said. “And
I said, `No, Paul. He’s speaking for me.”‘
Ridge said he may reconsider his position on the dam proposal if Kanjorski
or the dam supporters can put forth an “economic” plan.
“Recreational projects are not on a par with flood protection,” Ridge said.
“You better come in and lay it out for me as an economic plan.”
Ridge obviously isn’t closing the door. “The best thing I can do is to hear
Paul out,” he said. “I may make another assessment after talking to Paul.”
John Watson is publisher of the Sunday Dispatch of Greater Pittston. His
politics column appears on Sunday. Readers can contact him by calling
655-1266. The fax number is 883-1266.