By Brad Bumsted
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, February 14, 2010

HARRISBURG -- With Pennsylvania facing what may be the darkest fiscal period in its history over the next two years, Tom Corbett, the Republican Party's endorsed candidate for governor, on Saturday pledged to oppose and veto any state tax increase.

He told reporters he would sign the Americans for Tax Reform pledge against supporting any state tax increase if he is elected governor.

G. Terry Madonna, political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College, said he was surprised Corbett would take the "no-tax-hike" pledge with Pennsylvania facing a multibillion-dollar deficit, stimulus funds set to expire in 2011 and billions more needed when state and teacher pension costs spike in 2012.

"A lot of candidates would hold onto a nightmare scenario" for raising taxes, Madonna said.

Last month, Corbett said he would not "rule out" a state tax increase if elected.

On Saturday, Corbett said he would sign the tax pledge, which states the candidate will "pledge to oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes."

Corbett's opponent in the May primary, state Rep. Sam Rohrer, R-Berks County, swears off a state tax hike.

Corbett yesterday defeated Rohrer for the endorsement of the Republican State Committee.

The endorsement is critical to winning the GOP nomination at the polls in May.

Republican officials in Pennsylvania and other states have been assessing the potential impact of "tea party" voters. They are disaffected voters, angered by President Obama's health care legislation and what they see as out-of-control spending in Washington and Harrisburg. It is a loose affiliation of mostly conservative voters, which include "patriot" groups and others with no name or organization.

"The (Republican) leaders have treated the tea party movement with great deference," Madonna said.

Corbett told state committee members he's been listening. To those "who feel disenfranchised," Corbett said, "You say you don't want more taxes -- I agree. I think we are already taxed too much. You say government spends too much of your heard-earned money -- I agree. I think we need to make government more accountable and stop state spending we cannot afford."

On the second ballot yesterday, Bucks County Commissioner Jim Cawley won the Pennsylvania Republican State Committee's endorsement for lieutenant governor. The state committee earlier endorsed former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey, of Allentown, for U.S. Senate and Corbett for governor.

On the first ballot, Cawley received 162 votes among seven candidates. His closest competitor was Lancaster businessman Chet Beiler. But Cawley didn't have a majority of those present. On a second ballot, with Dauphin County Commissioner Nick DiFrancesco withdrawing, Cawley received 189 votes and Beiler 93.

The U.S. Senate vote was 327 for former Rep. Pat Toomey of Allentown and 12 for Peg Luksik of Johnstown.

In the governor' s race, Corbett received 329 votes to 10 for Rohrer.

There were nine abstentions in the senate and governor's race tallies.

Thomas Slovic, and a handful of "Berks County Patriots," protested the committee meeting, saying the party should hold an open primary and not endorse anyome. "If people can't have a hand in selecting their governor, what's the point?"

Brad Bumsted can be reached at bbumsted@tribweb.com or 717-787-1405.