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1. Annual increases in spending by state, county and local governments, including school districts, should be constitutionally limited to the rate of population growth plus inflation, or a similar index - except during declared emergencies or when the voters, via referendum, approve of the limit being exceeded.

AGREE

State spending has increased by 40% over the last seven years. The next governor must prioritize spending reductions across the board in order to get the state's fiscal house in order. Wasteful expenditures can and will be cut to prevent the taxpayers from continuing to foot the bill for the out-of-control spending in Harrisburg.

2. Pennsylvania should reduce taxes on all citizens. According to the Tax Foundation, Pennsylvania's state and local tax burden ranked 24th highest in the nation in 1991, 17th highest in 2002, and 11th highest today.

AGREE

Tax reforms are needed to reduce the burdens on families and job creators. Pennsylvania's tax and regulatory environments continue to send a signal that entrepreneurs should grow their businesses in other states. Family-sustaining jobs are needed to jump revitalize our economy, and tax reforms are needed to attract job creators.

3. Pennsylvania should not incure additional taxpayer debt. Since 2002, state debt increased 78% to more than $41 billion. In 2009, total state and local debt stood at $116 billion - over $36,000 per family of four.

AGREE

I am running for governor in order to preserve a great and prosperous state for future generations of Pennsylvanians. It is unconscionable that Harrisburg insiders have continued to delay fulfilling the Commonwealth's obligations through increased borrowing which will have a detrimental impact on our children and grandchildren.

4. Pennsylvania governments should put all expenditures of taxpayer money online for easy viewing by citizens - similar to 26 other states.

AGREE

I recently released a government reform plan which includes implementing 100% transparency throughout state government. Contracts, the state budget, and agency revenues and expenditures should be easily accessible. Pennsylvania taxpayers have a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent.

5. Voter approval via public referendum should be required for all state and local tax and fee increases, similar to taxpayer protection provisions in other states.

UNDECIDED

I have taken a pledge not to raise taxes as the next governor of Pennsylvania, and referendums can be useful to preserve accountability to the citizens. However, a blanket mandate to use a referendum could strangle the ability to govern effectively.

6. Tax dollars for education should follow the child. As long as Pennsylvania taxes citizens for public education, the children should be able to choose a public or private school for Kindergarten through 12th grade, as they can for higher education.

AGREE

I will focus on improving the quality of every public school in the Commonwealth and ensuring that every family has the choice of a high quality education option for their child. I support continuing state funding that currently goes to support all students, and I also favor the Education Improvement Tax Credit program.

7. Labor unions should be legally prohibited from forcing workers to pay dues or fees as a condition of employment, and unions should not be forced to represent non-payers at the bargaining table.

UNDECIDED

While legislation has been introduced to accomplish this in the General Assembly for many consecutive sessions, it has yet to reach the Governor's desk. Given the current climate in the state legislature, it appears unlikely that the political will to advance such a bill will coalesce in the foreseeable legislative sessions.

8. Pennsylvania should repeal current Prevailing Wage laws that apply to taxpayer-funded construction projects because they increase labor costs upward of 30% more than the average Market Wage in a community.

UNDECIDED

While I would consider a retooling of the prevailing wage law to more accurately reflect market wages, a blanket repeal appears unlikely to reach the governor's desk in upcoming sessions.

9. Government employees, including public school teachers, should be prohibited from striking, and lose a day and one half of pay for each day they do - similar to New York State's law.

AGREE

I would not be opposed to legislation eliminating strikes for public school employees. Like law enforcement, teachers provide an essential public service. I also believe that binding arbitration needs to be an important part of contract negotiations in order to bring all sides together. Our children's education is too important to be held hostage.

10. Pennsylvania should limit non-economic damages awarded in a lawsuit, while protecting the rights of victims to recover all economic damages; and a defendant's liability should be proportionate to his share of fault.

AGREE

Meaningful tort reform is necessary to maintain access to quality healthcare options and help expand Pennsylvania's economy. Limiting non-economic damage would help alleviate the massive costs of malpractice liability insurance, and the enactment of a new Fair Share Act is long overdue.

11. Pennsylvania's Constitution should be amended to empower citizens with initiative, referendum and recall - similar to 24 other states.

UNDECIDED

Restoring accountability to state government must be a priority for Pennsylvania's next governor. However, a flurry of referendums could make Pennsylvania suffer from an inability to govern and model our state government more closely on the dysfunctional government of the state of California.

12. Pennsylvania should return to a part-time legislature with a limited number of legislative session days - similar to 46 other states.

AGREE

The cost of operating Pennsylvania's legislature is among the highest in the nation. I have called for a biennial budget process, which will help limit the time legislators need to spend in Harrisburg and reduce the need for high operating costs for the legislature. Limiting legislative expense accounts will help to further reduce costs.

13. The number of terms someone can serve in the state legislature should be limited - similar to 15 other states.

DISAGREE

Legislative term limits would have the ultimate effect of depriving the voters of an option to return an effective legislator to represent their interests. Term limits would also consolidate legislative power within the long-term paid staff.

14. Pension and healthcare benefits for government employees should reflect private-sector practices, including 401(k)-style defined contribution pension plans for new hires and health care cost sharing.

UNDECIDED

While I lean towards converting to a defined contribution plan, I have called for a special legislative session to bring all stakeholders together and devise the most cost effective and sustainable system. Pennsylvania will likely need to embrace several private sector strategies such as cost sharing and adjustments to multipliers, vesting requirements, retirement age and assumption rates.

15. State and local governments should privatize services that can be performed by the private sector, such as the state liquor stores, golf courses, hotels, fitness centers, and parking garages.

AGREE

Privatization is an appropriate option when a private firm has the infrastructure in place to accomplish a policy goal in the most cost-effective manner. A cost-benefit analysis should be undertaken prior to any privatization decisions.

16. Pennsylvanians should be allowed to waive individual healthcare mandates, and health insurers should be allowed to offer mandate-free policies to reduce healthcare insurance costs for citizens.

AGREE

A greater array of policy options could help preserve access to necessary services and reduce the financial burden on families who need coverage.

17. Health insurers should not be forced to use "community rating" to determine the cost of premiums and should be allowed to use "experiential rating," similar to how auto insurance premiums are determined.

UNDECIDED

Permitting the use of an experiential rating standard could help individuals take more direct responsibility for the cost of their own services, but may create higher barriers to coverage for already disadvantaged demographics. It would be necessary to study all potential economic impacts before adopting such a policy. The overriding policy goal should be to create better access to quality affordable healthcare.

18. Pennsylvania should establish a "high-risk pool" that guarantees adequate health insurance for citizens with pre-existing conditions, rather than forcing healthy and low-income citizens to subsidize the premiums of unhealthy and high-income citizens.

UNDECIDED

The economic impact of such a policy should be studied completely before it is adopted. A central issue would be whether the state or private insurers would be responsible for establishing the high-risk pool.

19. Pennsylvania should flex its 9th and 10th Amendment muscles with the Federal government and refuse to accept funding with mandates for higher state spending, regulations and future uncertain commitments.

AGREE

Federal dollars with strings attached represent a dilemma for taxpayers who have paid into the federal pool of money but who cannot afford the increase in state spending which may result. Pennsylvanians' interest in federal tax dollars must be balanced against DC's tendency to use funding as a means to enact policy initiatives.

20. As Governor of Pennsylvania, my highest priorities as a public servant to the taxpayers and citizens of Pennsylvania will be...

...to reestablish Pennsylvania taxpayers' trust and confidence in government, jump start our state's economy and to provide good, family-sustaining jobs throughout the Commonwealth. I am committed to rooting out waste, corruption, fraud and abuse and I have a plan to bring about much-needed reform and accountability to Harrisburg. For too long, state government has put the political agendas of Harrisburg insiders ahead of serving the taxpayers - that will change under my administration. I have signed a no tax increase pledge because Pennsylvanians cannot be expected to continue to foot the bill for a government that operates without accountability to the taxpayers. As governor, I am prepared to face the challenge of changing the political culture in Harrisburg and make Pennsylvania a leader among states