A day after the general election and in his first stop on a tour announcing his bid for re-election, Gov. Tom Corbett said Wednesday he intended to be governor again.
He told a crowd at the Heinz History Center that he has kept his promises and will continue working for the next generation of Pennsylvanians in the state's highest office. After introductions by Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley, who is also running for re-election, and first lady Susan Corbett, the governor reeled off a list of promises he had made when he ran for governor in 2010, and reminded the audience that he had been true to his word.
"We balanced the budgets without increasing your taxes, that's a promise kept" Corbett said. "We reduced state spending for the first time in 40 years, promise kept!"
He also talked about making the state a more friendly climate for businesses, touted the more than 200,000 jobs the natural gas industry has brought to the state and the billions in revenue production provides. Corbett also touched on education, an area many advocacy groups and democrats have felt he has underfunded. The governor explained that when federal money for education ran out, he made a choice.
"We made the decision to get our finances in order and replenish the state education budget. I know people didn't like it, but we did what was absolutely necessary to do to get us back on track," Corbett said. "And since I've been governor, total state spending on basic education has increased every year, state funding."
Corbett currently runs unopposed for the Republican nomination for governor. The Democratic side is much more crowded, with eight candidates vying for the chance to take on the governor next November.
His stop in Pittsburgh will be followed by announcements in Pittston in northeastern Pennsylvania, and then Philadelphia, Montgomery County, West Chester, Allentown, Doylestown, Lancaster, York, Hershey and Erie in the following days.
