Lt. governor makes pitch in city visit
The most important focus of state government is economic growth and job creation, according to Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley
“Our primary goal is to attract business and industry to the state,” he said.
Cawley pointed out Butler County, which posted a 5.4 percent unemployment rate in December, is a leading example of the growth in the state’s economy.
“Butler County’s doing it right,” he said. “And statewide we saw the rate dip below 7 percent. But for the 6.9 percent that don’t have jobs, it’s not a great story.”
Cawley was in Butler Saturday at the Associated Artists of Butler County Art Center on Main Street to help kickoff the nomination petition signing for Republican candidates for the May 20 primary.
In an interview, Cawley said education is key to creating a strong work force, adding Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget proposal calls for a $400 million increase in funding to public schools. “We need to have a strong investment in education, whether in primary and secondary school or in higher (education),” he said.
Beyond education, Cawley said a major aspect of the state’s future economy will be the natural gas industry.
“Marcellus Shale is a vital part of the economic good news we’ve been able to create over the past three years,” he said. “It’s going to continue to be a very important component in Pennsylvania’s economic well being.”
Cawley defended Act 13, which restricted local municipalities’ power in regulating natural gas exploration. However, the state Supreme Court has ruled part of the law unconstitutional.
“We established a blueprint for responsible development of this resource in the state while maximizing economic potential,” he said of the act.
Another major topic for the administration is pension reform for state employees.
“It’s a huge issue,” he said. “The simple truth of the matter is 61 cents of every dollar in revenue is going into pension liabilities.”
Corbett has proposed cutting the state’s scheduled pension obligation, which is expected to grow by more than $600 million.
“The governor outlined a bold way to address the issue that established a foundation for discussion,” Cawley said. “I think there’s a growing understanding in the Legislature that this may not be the most popular thing to do, but it’s the most necessary thing to do to alleviate the burden on taxpayers.”
Cawley said he didn’t think the election year will hinder progress on solving the issue.
“I think we’ll see significant progress in the spring,” he said.
Cawley also is confident the state will pass its budget on time.
“We’ve passed three budgets in a row on time without raising taxes,” he said. “And we’ll do it again.”
While the Legislature has a lot of work to do in the upcoming months, one issue the Corbett administration won’t have to worry about is transportation funding.
Cawley said the transportation law the governor signed in November will bring noticeable changes to Butler County.
“In a county like Butler County, which has a lot of creeks and streams, I think people will see a lot of the bridges replaced or repaired over the next couple years,” he said.
Cawley said improving roads and bridges will only further aid economic development.
“This is not just a public safety issue, but also an economic development and job creation issues as well,” he said. “We need good infrastructure for development.”
