Pa. gubernatorial candidates debate in Harrisburg

Four gubernatorial candidates in Pennsylvania split evenly over whether non-profits should get reimbursed for bank fees incurred during the state’s budget stalemate.
The gubernatorial hopefuls made their comments at a forum sponsored by the United Way.

Four gubernatorial candidates in Pennsylvania split evenly over whether non-profits should get reimbursed for bank fees incurred during the state’s budget stalemate.

The gubernatorial hopefuls made their comments at a forum sponsored by the United Way. [audio:100224SDFOR.mp3]

When state funding to nonprofits and counties dried up last summer, many organizations took out large loans to pay their bills.
Democrats Dan Onorato and Joe Hoeffel say the state should fund those groups’ interest payments, but Auditor General Jack Wagner is more hesitant.

Wagner: Should we recoup those counties? Sure. If we could, yes. I’m not sure the state presently is in a fiscal condition to do that. Based on the serious financial challenges facing us, now, in the next budget.

Republican Sam Rohrer didn’t directly answer the question, but he says Pennsylvania government is running out of money, and may soon find itself in the same dire financial straits as California and other distressed states.

All four candidates vowed to pass budgets by the July 1 deadline, if elected.
Republican Tom Corbett and Democrat Anthony Williams were both invited to the forum, but didn’t attend.