Return Integrity to Harrisburg. All plans for Pennsylvania start here. Until our government is fixed, it cannot fix the problems we face. Here are a few of the overarching problems Jack wants to address first:

Click here to view Jack’s Proposal to Reform State Government

End Pay to Play Politics in Pennsylvania to Reform Government at its core

Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states with no limits on the amount an individual can donate to a campaign. This is wrong. It corrupts our democracy at its very core. Pennsylvania must not only catch up on this issue, it must lead. But how? First, we must enact contribution limits to end pay-to-play politics. This is the mother of all reforms. Jack will work with the legislature to pass campaign finance reform as one of his first orders of business.

End Wasteful Spending and Ensure Competition in Government Contracting

When you use your hard-earned money to buy goods or services, you make a choice, based on quality and cost, among other considerations. Particularly in these difficult economic times, we especially must shop around for the best bargain. Shouldn’t your government do the same? Especially when it is handling your tax dollars? Jack thinks so. But unfortunately state government uses a practice of awarding contracts without competitive bidding. Jack’s recent audit revealed over $500 million contracts awarded to a single vendor, most of which had no competitive proposals. This is just one example of a reform Jack will enact immediately, to ensure that Pennsylvania is open for competition, operates with integrity, and protects your hard-earned tax dollars.

Position Pennsylvania as an Energy Leader to Get the United States off Oil

As a leader in government for years, Jack understands that most issues involve some balancing of concerns. Jack believes strongly that our country and our Commonwealth can do more to stimulate the green economy, and do so, while protecting our precious environmental resources. Jack’s administration will implement numerous programs to spur energy innovation, including much needed programs to bring manufacturing jobs back to Pennsylvania within the green energy sector. Jack has been an ardent supporter of the previously enacted “Growing Greener” programs, and advocates full funding of DEP and DCNR. Most importantly, his leadership will focus immediately on how we can better train and connect our workforce for Pennsylvania to emerge as an unparalleled leader in energy production, in a manner that is safe and environmentally friendly.

HOPE: Enable All Pennsylvania Students to Afford a Quality Higher Education

Click here to view Jack’s Reform Proposal for Higher Education

Jack will enact a HOPE (Helping Our Pupils to Excel) scholarship program. The HOPE scholarship has been successful in 20 other states. Students who graduate from high school with at least a 3.0 grade-point average would have their tuition paid for at a state-owned university – or would be able to use the equivalent amount (roughly $10,000 per year), to attend a private or state-related university, community college, or vocational-technical school within Pennsylvania. Jack has worked to reform the education system in Pennsylvania, from pre-K through college, with his historic audits of PHEAA.

As Governor, Jack will capitalize on those cost savings, and help our students get out of debt. Jack frequently calls attention to the poor rankings of our state in terms of educational debt of our students – we are one of the worst in the country. With the HOPE scholarship, and supporting programs, Pennsylvania will not only be the home to many great colleges in universities, we will provide our students with the opportunity to thrive at those institutions, and contribute to Pennsylvania’s economy for years to come.

Investments in Infrastructure

Click here to view Jack’s Reform Proposal for Infrastructure

Pennsylvania’s infrastructure is not only aged, it is unsafe, and ill-suited for Pennsylvania to position itself as a national leader. We must make more, better, and smarter investments in infrastructure to ensure the future prosperity of our Commonwealth. Jack’s infrastructure plan includes smart growth measures for local modes of transportation, including roads, bridges and public transportation. Some examples are:

• Build effective high-speed rail systems that connect Pennsylvania cities to each other and surrounding cities such as New York and Cleveland.
• Make the Pennsylvania Turnpike a model national superhighway and the first multi-fuel (natural gas, electric, gasoline, and diesel) road in the nation. I will ask Governors Christie (New Jersey) and Strickland (Ohio) to join Pennsylvania in that effort.
• Convene a blue ribbon committee to offer realistic solutions to the bottlenecks throughout Pennsylvania including the Schuylkill Expressway in Philadelphia and the Parkway East in Pittsburgh.
• Modernize state roads and bridges by building them correctly the first time, properly maintaining them, and making them safer.
• Convert state government fleet vehicles, school buses, and mass transit buses to be powered by compressed natural gas and/or electricity.

Smart public investment in infrastructure can fix the crumbling Keystone State. It can create thousands of sustainable jobs for Pennsylvanians (directly by working on the projects and indirectly by making the materials for the projects). It can take our economy to a bold new level and with Jack’s leadership as Governor, our infrastructure will once again be one that will make Pennsylvanians proud.

These measures are at the core of Jack’s plan for Pennsylvania.

During the coming weeks, Team 2010 will be releasing detailed plans on these and other crucial initiatives that make up Jack’s Platform for a Prosperous Pennsylvania. Please e-mail us at jack@jackwagner.org to give us your feedback. This election is about you! Your ideas on these and other important issues make government better.