Republican Gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett says he hadn't planned to run for governor until after he was re-elected as state attorney general in 2008.
But Corbett said he decided to run in order to provide two things he believes are lacking in Harrisburg today: leadership and a willingness to say "no" to the spending that has led to a state budget crisis.
Corbett, the GOP front-runner, was a guest speaker at the Washington County Republican Party spring dinner held Friday at the George Washington hotel in Washington.
"The reason I ran is that I want to see my grandchildren, and I don't have any yet, grow up in a Pennsylvania like I did, full of opportunity, full of promise. Right now, I don't think we have that. We have potential for it," said Corbett. "We're going to do whatever's necessary, whether it's popular or not. And if I don't get re-elected, so what? I don't care."
Among Corbett's priorities are cutting government spending and balancing the budget, without raising taxes.
Corbett said it is time for Harrisburg to live within its means and to say "no" to reckless spending.
"We've got to cut the spending in Pennsylvania. If you look at the budget, it's increased over 40 percent in six years, without the revenues keeping up with it. You can't keep raiding every piggy bank; now, we're down to nothing," said Corbett.
Earlier in the day, Corbett rolled out his proposed energy policy, which focuses on developing Pennsylvania's energy resources in order to reduce the state's dependence on foreign oil.
"Pennsylvania is the second-largest energy field in the world between the gas, coal, hydroelectric, water, timber and alternative fuels; so when you develop all that, there's no reason we should be depending on oil in Pennsylvania from the Middle East," said Corbett. "We can be energy independent, and we can be a net exporter of energy, if we develop it in that respect."
Corbett's energy plan includes encouraging renewable, alternative and clean energy; cultivating the state's natural gas and coal resources; and growing the state's energy infrastructure by creating a tax credit program to encourage private sector investment.
An important part of his energy plan is the development of natural gas within the Marcellus Shale while protecting the environment.
He also proposed gradually replacing fleet vehicles from government agencies including the state departments of Transportation and Environmental Protection with natural gas vehicles.
Corbett also defended his decision to join more than a dozen state attorneys general in a lawsuit seeking to block the health care reform legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
"We're saying we believe that requirement that you have to buy health insurance or be fined violates the Constitution of the United States. I truly believe that under the constitution, the federal government doesn't have the authority to tell you what you have to buy. I believe in health care reform. We need to do something about pre-existing conditions and the cost of health care, but not at the expense of the Constitution," said Corbett.
Corbett is facing Samuel E. Rohrer for the Republican nomination in the May 18 primary.
Four candidates are vying for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.