Pennsylvania Governor's Race: Ridge is in the money

Ivan Itkin and Philip Berg will try to overcome Gov. Tom Ridge's deep pockets. Of all the issues that may decide the Pennsylvania governor's race this year, the one that could matter the most -- money -- has nothing to do with the candidates' platforms. Gov. Tom Ridge, a Republican running for a second four-year term, has already raised more than $5 million, while the man considered his main Democratic competition, State Representative Ivan Itkin, has amassed just $90,000. And unlike Ridge, who is expected to coast through the primary season, Itkin still has the Democratic primary battle to endure on May 19. With Ridge, 52, enjoying high popularity throughout the state, attorney Philip Berg -- who has no campaign funds -- will have to wage an uphill battle this election season. The general election will be held November 3. "It looks like a real long shot for a Democrat right now, but you never say anything is impossible," Penn Political Science Professor Jack Nagel said. "Still, unexpected things can happen, and people who are relatively unknown can become known once the campaign heats up." Overall, Democrats outnumber Republicans in Pennsylvania. As of November 1997, about 49 percent of the state's 7 million registered voters are Democrats, while 42 percent are Republican, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State. Ridge, who served as a U.S. congressman for 12 years before being elected governor in 1994, has gained popularity for increasing job growth during his term, cutting workers' compensation premiums and for implementing a $25 million personal-income tax cut for families. His administration also created Link to Learn, a $127 million program that makes computers more widely available to public schools. But Itkin, 61, is hardly a political novice. He has represented Pittsburgh in the Pennsylvania state legislature, where he has served since 1972. He was the House Majority Leader in 1993-94, and is currently the House Minority Whip. A nuclear scientist who designed propulsion systems for the U.S. Navy's nuclear fleet before he dove into the political pool, Itkin said his work with science aids him in "solving problems," a tactic he said he will apply as governor. Ridge, who defeated then-Lt. Gov. Mark Singel by a hair in the 1994 general election, is expected to have an easy time in the Republican primary. So far, former State Rep. Francis Worley is the only Republican who may run against the governor. Itkin himself seems worried about his chances. At a conference last month, he told a group of newspaper publishers that Ridge is "supposedly respectably popular" and "hasn't made a whole lot of enemies." Itkin, who is pro-choice, has said he's running against Ridge because he doesn't think Ridge has developed the ability to "listen to people and balance their concerns." Ridge, a death penalty supporter who has signed 105 death warrants to date, recently submitted a $17.8 billion budget proposal for 1998-99, which under Pennsylvania's constitution must be balanced. The proposal's 3 percent increase in spending is consistent with the rise in the cost of living, according to James Feaser, a Ridge spokesperson. As for abortion, Ridge, like Itkin, is pro-choice. But Ridge favors parental consent for minors and opposes government-funded abortions except for cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life is in danger. From his first day in office in January 1995, when he called a special session to address crime in the state, Ridge has had the issue at the top of his agenda. He has focused on juvenile crime, victim rights and high-tech programs such as video cameras in patrol cars and DNA databases. Ridge has also increased state funding for education, is dedicated to environmental-law enforcement and set up the Rainy Day Fund, a "savings account" the state can tap to replace revenue lost by economic decline. But Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell -- who openly admits to having "philosophical differences" with Ridge -- supports Itkin for governor, said Kevin Feeley, a spokesperson for the mayor. "The mayor is a good Democrat, and Mr. Itkin is most likely going to be the Democratic standard-bearer," Feeley said. Both Itkin and Berg cite crime prevention, urban schools and property taxes as issues of concern. And they criticize Ridge for raising property taxes, lagging behind in job reforms, underfunding public education and putting large companies' interests before those of the people. "The corporate interests, and not the people's interests, are driving the governor's agenda," Itkin said at the conference. Itkin would like to see more work done on "preventing crime in the first place," by expanding after-school programs and family support and strengthening the local police, according to Itkin spokesperson Diane McCormick. And Itkin voted against Ridge's welfare plan, which required 225,000 people on medical aid to work 100 hours per month or lose their benefits. The state representative also opposed Ridge's workers' compensation reform, which set a limit to long-term benefits for employees hurt on the job. "If I can figure out how to propel a trident submarine, I know I can figure out how to fix our roads without raising gas taxes," Itkin said. He blasted the governor's 3 1/2 cent per gallon gas tax hike, which raised $400 million for the state. Berg, a 53-year-old attorney from Lafayette Hill in nearby Montgomery County, is also no stranger to the political arena, though he's had little success. He ran against incumbent Gov. Robert Casey for the Democratic nomination in 1990, but he got fewer than a quarter of the votes Casey received. Berg denounced the governor as "ineffective" for raising gas taxes and not spending enough time trying to improve the public education system, which he described as being "too heavy on administrators." Berg also intends to beef up an anti-littering campaign and limit the interest rate on credit cards to only 3 or 4 percent above the prime rate. "I think these are things the citizens can identify with," Berg said. Berg said he will not accept donations over $100 and will ask both Itkin and Ridge to give back contributions over that amount.

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