A4O-Lancaster Farming/Saturday, October's', 2002 Gov. Candidates Tackle Ag Issues (Continued from Page A 39) some of those funds to help the pub lic understand and appreciate agri culture as an industry, and all that it means to our state and our world. I am the only candidate in this race who has experience of using the office of the chief executive as a tool to promote, educate, and convince consumers to embrace one of the largest cities in the world. I can do the same for your industry. Question 7: You have publicly sup ported a Special Session on property tax reform, which could have a sig nificant impact on farm taxation and subsequent profitability. If elected governor, what ideal solution would you like to see implemented? The American Farmland trust has done several studies that show farm ers take back only about a dime for every dollar in local taxes that they pay. If any group deserves relief from the near $2 billion in property tax hikes in the last eight years, it’s farm families. As governor, I will begin uncou pling education funding from the property tax by dramatically increas ing the funding the state provides local schools. This funding increase will allow communities to cut and cap for every homeowner the portion of local property taxes used to fi nance schools. This new funding will be generated from: • Restructuring state government to ferret out waste and inefficiencies. In any large bureaucracy, there are significant cost savings to be found by streamlining and improving its operations. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is no exception. As de tailed by Governor Ridge’s 1996 IM PACCT task force study, there were and still are government reform ef forts that could save the state almost $7.6 billion over five years. While the administration made some progress, there remains much to accomplish. As governor, I will continue the work begun by the Ridge Administration and scour the state government to eliminate fraud, waste, and duplica tion and streamline and improve op erations. All rescued funds will be al located to education. As Philadelphia’s Mayor, I launched a similar government re form program to close the city’s bud get gap without raising taxes. By making tough decisions, the Rendell Administration was able to close' a $250 million budget gap 11 per cent of the $2.3 billion city budget without raising taxes. Wheat Straw for sale 3x3xB bales 1-888-422-5243 YODER’S Windmill uH Service Specializing in new & used windmill sales & service CALL FOR PRICING 717/532-4591 Send written inquiries to 2006 Bedford Road Shippensburg, PA 17257 • Placing slot machines at Penn sylvania’s racetracks. A study at Penn State University determined that $283 million of revenues would be created in Pennsylvania if 1,500 slot machines were permitted at each of the state’s existing four racetracks. If, however, the number were in creased to 2,500 machines per race track, as in our neighboring states of West Virginia and Delaware, state and local revenues could reach $469 million. Substantial additional reve nues could be added if slots are also placed at a potential racetrack in Erie, where there is a dormant li cense. As governor, I will pursue leg islation to legalize slot machines at Pennsylvania racetracks and dedi cate 100 percent of additional state and local revenues to fund education, thus dramatically reducing the prop erty tax burden on older Pennsylva nians. • Redirecting revenues from re cent cigarette tax increase. As gover nor, I will redirect a significant por tion of the additional revenues generated from the recent increase in the state’s excise tax on cigarettes to the costs of public education. Question 8: One of the members wrote in, I farm in Chester County and I have a 500-cow dairy. What will I need to do differently in the fu ture to comply with environmental laws and still stay in business? ” The answer to this question de pends a great deal on what you are doing presently, but let me say this, from the perspective of state govern ment. A well-run farm is better for the environment than any strip mall, parking lot, or sub division. My plan for the environment calls for the preservation, not the persecution, of agricultural operations of all sizes and types. If you are complying with current regulations and willing to work with entities such as the conservation dis trict, you’ll be fine. 1 want you to have more time to dedicate to your operation and your family, instead of wasteful worry on regulations and red tape. Question 9: If elected governor, what three things will you make a priority the first 90 days in office that relate to production agriculture, and why? 1 will staff the Department of Ag riculture with qualified, experienced professionals who have worked with you and for you. They will be people who understand the needs and con cerns of your industry and have ex perience in addressing those needs in the public domain. I will convene a Special Session of the General Assembly with the goal of reducing your property taxes by 30 percent. I will do so because you and your neighbors have seen them rise by almost $2 billion in the last eight years. In cooperation with the Animal Health Commission, I will seek an immediate, honest, and thorough re view of the strengths and weaknesses of the animal health and diagnostic systems and infrastructure at the De partment of Agriculture, the Univer sity of Pennsylvania, and the Penn State University. I will do so because, to a large degree, the future of ani mal agriculture depends on the com petence of these facilities and the confidence that producers and con sumers alike have in them. Question 10; The current drought situation in our commonwealth brings the issue of water quantity to the forefront. Water quantity is a concern for many involved in produc tion agriculture. What is your posi tion on townships taking matters into their own hands in regards to regulating water withdrawal? Sec ondly, what kind of assistance, if any, will be available to producers who are experiencing severe drought conditions? Water management is too impor tant to be ignored as a statewide issue, yet that has been the case for far too long. Townships that are at tempting to do so are only reacting to a void in statewide leadership on the issue. I believe water withdrawal is a statewide concern. I further believe, and I stated for the record at Ag Pro gress Days, that agriculture should be given a top priority as any water management plan is developed under my administration. No segment of Pennsylva- l““ nia’s economy has been hit harder by recent droughts than the farming community. Many farmers have suffered huge losses, with some having to abandon their farms in search of other jobs. One of the most important things to happen after the drought of 1999 was the recognition that tire commonwealth should take aggressive steps to en- courage risk management by producers in the form of crop insurance. The General As- sembly was wise to provide funding to supplement crop insurance premiums for pro- 6 6 Modem farming is dependent on expen sive equipment. This is true of dairy farming, the state’s principal agriculture enterprise. A dairy farm must have a herd of at least 200 to 300 cows to be viable with an investment of thousands of dollars per stall for efficient production with robotic milkers, automatic washers, and so forth. Yet the Common wealth’s Machinery Equipment and Loan Fund is closed to farmers. I support opening this program to farmers. 5 9 ducers. These subsidies have been successful as witnessed by the fact that the number of those insured has tripled. I believe it is very important to continue that program. I also recognize the need for a comprehensive program to manage our precious water resources. New technologies must be explored, such as using permeable surfaces to pave ever-expanding parking lots, engi neering flood controls to prevent ex cessive water runoff, and con structing stone-filled drains to take surface water down to the levels of depleted aquifers. To assist local communities man age their water supply and water usage, as governor I will support the establishment of regional water man agement authorities similar to the Delaware River Basin Authority and the Susquehanna Valley Authority. These new regional authorities will set standards and make determi nations for water usage, with a prior- YOUR FULL LINE KUBOTA PRODUCT HEADQUARTERS • INVENTORY • PRICE • KNOWLEDGEABLE SALES STAFF * SERVICE EXPERIENCE KpURBBQS iKBIOIir We Ship Parts rmtAmnn ; . ~n..r-. Call For Details UPS I TRACTORS & EQUIPMENT | Qn Leasing LEBANON c nft LANCASTER Rt #7. 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I was the first candidate to com mit to opening up the state economic development programs to production agriculture. Our state spends more money (almost $5OO million) than other on so-called economic develop ment programs. Yet, we don’t allow our top industry, agriculture, access to the funds in those programs. I will change that. Financing Or Cash Discounts Available
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