As primary nears, governor's race heats up

With the primary looming less than two months away, Pennsylvania's 1994 gubernatorial race is heating up. And since incumbent Governor Bob Casey is not running for re-election, the front-runners for the top state office have narrowed to a group of four hopefuls. State Attorney General and University graduate Ernie Preate Jr. and State Senator Tom Ridge are currently the front-running Republican candidates. Current Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel and 1992 U.S. Senate candidate Lynn Yeakel are the leading Democrats for the post. The economy promises to be one of the main issues in this year's election, and all four leading candidates propose significant tax cuts. Republican Tom Ridge, the party's endorsed candidate, said he will cut taxes by $2 billion over the course of his four years in office. His economic plan proposes to pay for this primarily through budget cuts. Ernie Preate Jr. offers another plan, which would reduce state spending by $604 million by the end of the century. This would be accomplished partially by cutting back on state workers. Preate also proposes to reduce the corporate net income tax by 4 percent, which would mean $1.65 billion less in taxes for Pennsylvania business by 1999. Both leading Democratic hopefuls are proposing similar, but smaller, cuts in the corporate net income tax. Yeakel suggests a $100 million "New Skills Partnership" to create job-training programs for laid off workers. Crime -- specifically issues surrounding the death penalty and youth gangs -- is another significant issue in the gubernatorial race. Both Republican front-runners support the death penalty. Preate stresses a special juvenile offender system primarily for gang members, while Ridge proposes two new maximum security prisons for juvenile offenders. Singel supports the death penalty, as well as increased sentences for crimes committed by gang members. Yeakel opposes the death penalty, but says she will sign death warrants if need be. Three Republicans and five Democrats are running for the top state office in addition to the four top contenders.