Jack Wagner's Response to PFC

Philly For Change Governor’s Questionnaire


1.  If elected, what will be your top three priorities, and how will you achieve them?

    As Governor, my top three priorities would be the following:

1.    Provide a HOPE Scholarship Program to help families afford higher education
I have been a longtime advocate of offering a HOPE Scholarship Program in Pennsylvania.  HOPE is an acronym for Helping Our Pupils to Excel.  Under my program, students who graduate from high school with at least a 3.0 grade point average would have their tuition paid for at a state-owned university.  Students choosing to attend a state-related institution, a private institution, a community college, or a vocational-technical school would receive a grant valued at the average cost of a state-owned university.  The program would be funded by excess profits from table games at Pennsylvania casinos.

2.    Reform the operations of state government
The taxpayers deserve a government that puts their needs first and that addresses those needs in the most cost-effective way possible.  I know firsthand where the waste, fraud, and abuse is in government programs from the thousands of audits that I have conducted as Auditor General.  I will implement my recommendations for saving money in state government programs in order to maintain vital government services without raising taxes.  I will also pursue fundamental reforms such as eliminating bonuses and vendor favoritism in state government, reducing the size of the General Assembly, and ensuring that the state budget is passed on time every year.

3.    Create high quality, family sustaining jobs to grow our economy
As Governor, I will work with the private sector to improve the employment situation in the Commonwealth, so that all Pennsylvanians who want to work hard and pursue the American dream have the opportunity to do so.  I will use my experience as Auditor General to fix the state’s economic development programs and hold the recipients of state assistance accountable for creating and retaining the jobs promised.  I will also use my experience to bring transparency and competition to the state’s own awarding of contracts for goods and services.  Finally, as further discussed in my answer to Question #6 below, I will maximize the state’s new Marcellus Shale energy resources to create jobs and reduce the cost of natural gas in an environmentally responsible way.
2.  What steps will you take to improve Pennsylvania's economy and raise Philadelphians out of poverty?
 
As discussed in my answer to Question #1 above, I will invest in education, economic development, and social services programs to benefit Philadelphians and all Pennsylvanians.


3.  How will you assure economic stability for Philadelphia's public schools? Will you propose a new funding formula?

I am a graduate of a public high school and my children have attended public schools.  I have always been a strong advocate and supporter of public education.  I believe that the education of our people is one of the most important responsibilities of public officials and that every public school should have the resources needed to provide our children with the best possible education.  The current system of funding education has clearly been the biggest weakness of our public school system, and I have fought to improve the system of funding public education in the Commonwealth in a fiscally responsible way.  My audits have identified hundreds of millions of dollars that could be saved in the state budget by improving the management of various programs and services.  As Governor, I will implement my audit recommendations and other ideas in order to generate significant savings that could be used to provide stable and sufficient funding for public education in all 500 school districts.


4. Summarize briefly your positions regarding abortion and emergency contraception.

I am a pro-life Democrat.  I support public funding and access to family planning and contraceptive services that do not include abortion.  

Because I strongly believe that the right to life must also mean the right to a decent life for both mother and child, I have always placed a priority on strengthening health care, education, social services, and other important programs.  I have also been a strong proponent of adoption.  I served on a statewide adoption task force and I have chaired the annual Genesis-Riverside Run for Adoption in Pittsburgh since 1994.  This event has played a major role in promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion.  My wife Nancy and I are the proud parents of two adopted children, Luke and Sara.



5. What steps will you take to protect the LGBT community from discrimination?

I would continue to support efforts to strengthen state anti-discrimination laws to protect the LGBT community.  As a State Senator, I introduced, co-sponsored, and voted for many such bills.  My administration will also lead by example in hiring and working with members of the LGBT community.


6. In light of Pennsylvania's expanded natural gas drilling, will you commit funds from mineral extraction for environmental protection?  How will you protect our environment from problems associated with such drilling and assure that Pennsylvanians economically benefit from this growing industry?

Yes.  The new Marcellus Shale energy resources give the Commonwealth an unparalleled opportunity in the coming years to create tens of thousands of good paying, high quality jobs to our communities and bring in much-needed revenues to state government.  However, while I am committed to maximizing these new resources, I am equally committed to ensuring that it be done in an environmentally responsible way.  As Governor, I will make sure that the industry understands that these resources belong to all Pennsylvanians, that we – not outsiders – intend to reap the benefits, and that we will not tolerate any harm to our precious environment.  I will insist that the costs of the increased government oversight necessary to build and monitor this new industry be borne by the industry itself.

 

CONTACT INFO:
Jack Wagner for Governor
P.O. Box 99995
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania  15233
Ph: (412) 388-1100  
Fax: (412) 388-1102
jack@jackwagner.org
www.jackwagner.org

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