Scranton Desperate for Support Counts On School Children While Adults Dismiss Him

Politician makes point of saluting supporters: "Politician makes point of saluting supporters
students pin hopes on candidate. Scranton wants to end youth brain drain if elected governor.
Monday, January 30, 2006
By KURT BRESSWEIN
The Express-Times
PEN ARGYL | Rich and James Paul did something Sunday for Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bill Scranton, and Scranton wants to help the Paul brothers in Harrisburg.

The Lower Saucon Township teenagers -- Rich is a senior at Moravian Academy and James, a freshman at Saucon Valley High School -- made red, white and blue "Scranton 2006" pins for a rally at Weona Park.

Scranton supporter David Molony, of Catasauqua, paid the Pauls for the pins through their company, A.T.L.A.S. The young entrepreneurs started the company with students from three other high schools to compete in a Junior Achievement program.

Echoing campaign comments incumbent Gov. Ed Rendell made four years ago, Scranton said he wants to improve Pennsylvania to help retain its young people.

"This is what all of this comes down to, is these two guys and people like them, the young men and the young women everywhere," Scranton said.

"I've been around to every county in this state in the last year," he continued. "And there is a sense out there not only that Rich and James may go somewhere else, but there's also a sense that they're not being well served by Harrisburg."

Primary is May 16

About 100 people turned out Sunday for Scranton's remarks. The event was catered by Gwen Flynn, a Palmer Township resident who works for Flynn's in Phillipsburg.

Scranton, the lieutenant governor for eight years under Gov. Richard Thornburgh, is seeking the Republican nomination in the May 16 primary election to challenge Rendell.

The other Republican hopefuls are former Pittsburgh Steeler and sportscaster Lynn Swann and Jim Panyard, retired president and chief executive officer of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association.

Scranton gets local support

The Republicans' Northeast Central caucus that covers Lehigh and Northampton counties voted Saturday with the Northeast caucus to back Scranton. The state Republican committee is scheduled to endorse a candidate Feb. 11.

Scranton spoke Sunday as the Republican candidate, setting his sights on what he called a Rendell administration that "has utterly failed." Scranton said he wants to lead an "economic transformation" by limiting the amount the state budget can grow each year.

Seeks to trim taxes

He also wants to cut taxes on business to create more jobs in the state. He spoke of greater local control over raising earned-income taxes and of extending the sales tax to more, as-yet-undetermined goods. He wants voters to be able to veto large increases in school property taxes.

Scranton wants to reform an education system that he said has become uncompetitive with those of China and India.

"It isn't slate and it isn't coal that's the driver of our economy," he said. "It is knowledge and information whether it is used on the farm or in a store or in a manufacturing plant or in a software company. And we need to provide it."

Reporter Kurt Bresswein can be reached at 610-867-5000 or by e-mail at kbresswein@express-times.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report."