Staff Editorial: Rendell for governor

Pennsylvania is in trouble.

Its economy, once propped up by a large industrial base, is in decline. Businesses are fleeing to escape a high tax burden.

The public schools are crippled by an archaic funding system and rampant inequity. And though the state is home to one of the finest groups of colleges and universities in the nation, Pennsylvania struggles to keep its talent within its borders, its students fleeing for New York, Washington, Boston, California and beyond.

The Commonwealth is in a state of stagnation. It looks a lot like Philadelphia did 10 years ago.

From 1992 until 2000, Ed Rendell transformed this city. He took the city from the brink of fiscal insolvency and perennial decline to what it is today -- a metropolis undergoing a renaissance, with its fair share of problems to be sure, but certainly better off than it was at the beginning of the 1990s.

Now, we hope he can do the same for Pennsylvania as its governor.

Without question, the biggest problem facing the Commonwealth is the crumbling education system. Rendell recognizes that there is no quick fix for the schools, and that vouchers and increased privatization are not the answers.

But unlike his chief opponent, Attorney General Mike Fisher, Rendell refuses to accept the status quo. Instead, he has proposed an ambitious, $1.5 billion program to increase the state's share of the education burden to 50 percent and to set up full-day kindergarten statewide.

Under this plan, the money would come from new slot machines installed in the Commonwealth's horse racing tracks -- a plan we strongly support -- and finding $1 billion in wasteful spending in the budget.

This will not be easy, but if anyone can do it, it's Rendell, who made drastic cuts in Philadelphia's budget in an successful effort to balance it.

We are also skeptical of his economic development plan's prospects for success. It seems hopelessly optimistic to believe that Pennsylvania can be transformed into a technology powerhouse to rival Silicon Valley and a biotech haven along the lines of suburban Washington. At the same time, optimism is again preferable to the status quo.

More promising are his plans to slash business taxes to create a more job-friendly environment. This effort, combined with his student-retention efforts, should at least make a dent in the state's "brain drain."

We also share his belief in Pennsylvania's untapped tourism potential. Bringing more people, and their dollars, into the state in the way he did here is a possibly enormous source of revenue.

Rendell's position on reproductive rights is also extremely important. Fisher is unabashedly pro-life and has said he would criminalize abortion given the chance.

Rendell would be a powerful pro-choice voice in Harrisburg, a city that desperately needs one. Though we are disappointed that Rendell is content to leave Pennsylvania's unduly strict abortion laws -- including an extremely unfortunate parental consent provision -- he is the best candidate to ensure that a woman's right to choose is protected.

The only person running for governor with sensible gun control proposals, Rendell's support of a one-gun-a-month limit impresses us. And his commitment to pursuing alternative energy solutions is encouraging.

Not least of all, Ed Rendell is one of us -- a Philadelphian -- and if he wins on Tuesday, he'll be the first city resident in nearly 100 years elected to the state's highest office. There is a terrible, backward distrust and outright dislike of Philadelphia in much of the rest of the state.

Ed Rendell carries the "city boy" banner better than anyone else, turning this supposed liability into an incredible asset. He is the best man to tackle the stupidity of regionalism that paralyzes Pennsylvania.

Mike Fisher, the Republican nominee, has been an admirable public servant, but is a terrible gubernatorial candidate for 2002. His education plan, which proposes a paltry $100 million increase in state spending, does not go nearly far enough. His enthusiasm for school vouchers is also extremely troubling.

Equally unfortunate is Fisher's hardline opposition to any kind of gay rights initiative. Though Rendell is again not as strong on gay rights as we would like, particularly in his opposition to gay marriage, Fisher is adamantly opposed to partnership benefits for state employees.

Fisher has also tried to use Rendell's hometown against him, shamelessly playing to the state's suspicion of the city in a series of negative advertisements and campaign appearances. This kind of divide-and-conquer strategy is entirely unacceptable and leads us to wonder whether he is interested in being a governor for all of Pennsylvania.

The two minor party candidates do warrant mention. We like Green Party nominee Michael Morrill, we like his honesty and candor. Unfortunately, his agenda is simply unrealistic for this state.

We are less certain about Libertarian candidate Ken Krawchuk, whose quirky policy positions and tireless reliance on laissez-faire governance worry us.

But as for Rendell, we could not be more confident. His own confidence in his ability and his voracious desire to tackle Pennsylvania's most difficult problems made picking him an extremely easy decision.

The Daily Pennsylvanian wholeheartedly and enthusiastically endorses Ed Rendell for governor of Pennsylvania, and urges members of the University community, and all Pennsylvanians, to give him your vote.

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