Wherever Tuesday’s State of the Union address goes, rest assured it will be controversial. At least half the nation will take offense with President Trump’s words and will likely call him a liar.

That’s fine. Politicians can say whatever they want when the jobless rate is stuck at 4 percent, gasoline prices are approaching $2 a gallon and the inflation rate refuses to rise.

Even so, we’re already looking ahead to March 5 and Gov. Tom Wolf’s Pennsylvania executive budget address. As Wolf begins his second four-year term of office, It’s time for Pennsylvania to project on the governor our hopes and expectations which he has assured us for a second time that he is capable and confident to deliver.

Wolf’s budget address could be something memorable, if his inaugural address was an indicator — and let’s hope it was. He recently hinted at several shifts in policy and attitude that suggest a willingness to compromise — the wisdom of experience, perhaps?

At his Jan. 15 inauguration, Wolf told how one of his adult daughters and her husband were moving back to Pennsylvania after many years out of state.

“When you have talented kids ... you always run the risk that they’re going to run off and do something great somewhere else,” Wolf said. “When I first took this oath four years ago, far too many parents across our state were worried that their kids would wind up moving away — that they would have to move away, if they were going to find the quality of life they desired. That anxiety cuts to the core.”

Wolf then drew a line of distinction between Harrisburg and Washington. He very intentionally distanced himself from Washington and its bitter partisanship — and he urged the rest of state government to follow his example.

“Look: we all come to public service with convictions that we know we can’t compromise,” Wolf said. “I certainly do. And I know my friends in the legislature do, as well. So sometimes we’ll disagree. And sometimes we’ll have to agree to disagree. But that doesn’t have to stop us from working together to make progress for Pennsylvania where we have common ground. ... We can work together here in Harrisburg. We can get things done.”

When Trump delivers his State of the Union on Tuesday, it will be presented as a battle of wills — a display of partisan rancor. The objective — construction of a border wall, or denial of its construction — is symbolic of the nebulous themes by either side: Make America Great Again vs. Walls are Immoral.

Meanwhile, we could put an intentional focus on Gov. Wolf’s impending budget address and negotiations with a Republican legislature. Let’s think strategically in terms of using our tax dollars to cultivate Pennsylvania. We should improve our state to the point that our grown children who moved away will want to move back.

That’s easier said than done. Infrastructure, education, health care, jobs and economy, natural resources, recreational opportunities and myriad other facets of life and culture and up to the attractions of any dwelling place. And heaven knows, you don’t want to tax them so much that they change their minds and leave again.

That said, we like the tone Gov. Wolf struck with his inauguration speech. Let’s fix up the state: the kids are moving back to town. We want to make them proud.

— TAH