County executive Onorato outlines gubernatorial campaign direction

November 19, 2009
By Mike Wereschagin
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato on Wednesday issued the first policy address of his gubernatorial campaign, proposing changes from political contribution caps to term limits that he thinks would restore trust in state government.

Onorato, who will seek the Democratic nomination for governor in the May primary, promised that if elected, on his first day in office he would ban gifts to executive branch officials, extend the one-year ban on lobbying by former state officials to two years, and require more detailed disclosure of lobbyists' contacts with state officials.

Longer term, Onorato said he would support a constitutional amendment limiting legislators to 12 years in office, shrinking the Legislature so its $300 million budget is at least 20 percent less, and eliminating the $200 million leadership-controlled accounts, which he called "slush funds."

Onorato billed his proposals as a first step to economic development.

"If we don't have confidence in the way the state's working, private companies don't want to be here," he told about 60 Rotary Club members Downtown. "We've got to show that we're an efficient, business-friendly state."

He would have to convince legislators to outlaw their most coveted benefits — per diems and free cell phones, so-called walking-around money and the ability to increase their pay, to name a few. That could be tricky, say government reform advocates.

"This Legislature will never do it," said Mark Schwartz, legislative aide to former House Speaker K. Leroy Irvis. "There is only one thing Pennsylvania government has to do, once a year, and that's pass a budget. They can be asleep the rest of the time. And they couldn't even do that."

Onorato said no state worker, other than those necessary for public safety, should get paid if the budget is past due.

House Republicans on Tuesday offered a reform package. Majority Leader Sam Smith proposed faster disclosure of campaign donations and banning contracts to donors from government officials to whom they donate money.

Gov. Ed Rendell urged similar reforms in Scranton this week, and Philadelphia businessman and fellow Democratic candidate for governor Tom Knox proposed ideas last week.

Both Onorato and Knox proposed capping campaign donations. Onorato would tie them to federal limits; Knox proposed no specifics. Onorato has raised millions of dollars more than anyone else in the governor's race. Knox, a multimillionaire, is expected to spend millions of his own money. Both said they would not adjust their fundraising.

"I've got to play by the rules in place now," Onorato said.

Knox campaign manager Josh Morrow said Knox would not limit how much people could spend on their own campaigns.