Stetler

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Revenue Secretary Tom Wolf, a possible candidate for governor in 2010, announced Wednesday that he will resign at the end of the month to pursue another public-service opportunity.

Wolf, however, would not elaborate on his plans during a news conference with Gov. Ed Rendell. He sidestepped a question about whether he was running for governor.

"I've made a decision, and the reason I'm leaving now is because I want to pursue another option in public service, but I'm not going to announce it today," Wolf said.

Wolf, 59, said he would make an announcement in "the near future." He said now was the right time for him to step down to ensure a smooth transition as Rendell's administration prepares to develop a state budget proposal for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

Rendell said he was nominating Stephen Stetler, executive director of the Pennsylvania Economy League, to replace Wolf as revenue secretary. Wolf's departure comes as the state is already tightening its spending to avoid a deficit at the end of the fiscal year that ends in June. Revenues for the first four months were $565 million, or 7 percent, shy of projections.A former businessman and top Democratic Party donor, Wolf has overseen state tax collections and the Pennsylvania Lottery since Rendell nominated him to the Cabinet post in January 2007.Stetler, of York, spent 16 years as a Democratic state representative, then resigned in 2006 to run the statewide public policy research group.

Wolf