SCOT PITZER: “In light of the severe budget crunch, how do you feel about money for arts and culture in the Commonwealth? Are there any dollars?”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “As you know…I keep fighting. The legislature keeps trying to eliminate it. Other states have totally eliminated money for the arts. We’ve seen about a 10 percent reduction, and I’m fighting to hold it at that.”
SCOT PITZER: “So, you’re fighting to keep art programming?”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “Absolutely. In Senate bill 850, the one they gave me last year during the budget crisis, they totally lined it out.”
SCOT PITZER: “Legislators from smaller counties often feel that legislators from larger counties get the lion’s share of funds in the Commonwealth. Do you feel that smaller counties – - – like Adams County – - – get their fair share?”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “It’s interesting. I believe that prior to me becoming Governor, the answer to that was no. I have…determined that we’ve invested in Adams County since I became Governor $97.8 million dollars, from the state alone. Energy projects – $9 million; economic development projects – $11m; PennDOT projects – $20 million; housing projects -$15 million; RCAP – things like the Majestic & Visitor Center, $17 million; tourism grants – $2 million.”
SCOT PITZER: “So during your tenure, you have made a commitment to smaller areas.”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “Absolutely – and I did this with absolute premeditation, because I thought they were getting the short end of the stick, particularly in Pennsylvania’s third-class cities, like Gettysburg. As a result, you’ve seen a lot of third-class cities bounce back, like Wilkes-Barre, Erie, York and Lancaster.”
SCOT PITZER: “In 2005, there was a proposal to build a gaming facility in Adams County. Now, there is a license available that will probably be applied for by a local businessman. It could generate a lot of dollars in our economically strapped county, but there has been opposition, saying that it doesn’t belong five miles from Gettysburg. How would you feel about a gaming facility in Adams County?”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “I said when the proposal first came out (in 2005), I said it was too close to the battlefield and too close to our heritage tourism. But I am told that this new location is much closer to the Maryland border…and that would make it less objectionable. Again it’s not my decision, it’s the Gaming Control Board, and I do not correspond with them…deliberately. Under the law, it’s their decision. If I were the decision-maker, this proposal is better and less objectionable than the last one. And you should know, for the record, that David LeVan was a heavy supporter of mine when I ran for Governor. I haven’t taken any money from him since, because he’s a potential gaming applicant. But he was a heavy supporter of mine. I’m friends with him.”
SCOT PITZER: “Describe your relationship.”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “He was a CEO in Philadelphia, and I was Mayor at the time. We had a great relationship and he supported me. When I ran for Governor, he supported me. When he became a gaming applicant, I stopped taking money from him. Even though the law says I can now – - – the Supreme Court threw out that limitation – - – I’ve taken the position that I don’t take money.”
SCOT PITZER: “Do you talk on a regular basis?”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “When I come up here, I usually see him. He did a great deal with the Majestic. With the state funds and with what he did personally, it revived the Majestic Theater.”
SCOT PITZER: “So, you look at this project more favorably than the previous one?”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “I would say less objectionable. If you draw from Maryland, that’s always a plus. We’ve done a great job getting back our money from New Jersey. There was a month a couple of months ago where our slots revenue was greater than New Jersey.”
SCOT PITZER: “You don’t have any table games right now.”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “Not until July.”
SCOT PITZER: “You don’t have any Category Three facilities open in the state right now, either.”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “None.”
SCOT PITZER: “That’s probably hurt us.”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “Sure – and the fact that the two Philadelphia casinos aren’t up and running. Sugar House is scheduled open in August, so that should help revenues dramatically.”
SCOT PITZER: “You’re in your last year in Harrisburg. What are your plans after this term.”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “I’m concentrating so much on getting things done in my last year…I know I’m going to teach (at the Univ. of Pa.), and I’ll expand that. I do some sports television – - – I’ll probably do more of that. I’m writing a book, and certainly that’s on the agenda. I’ve started to write it, and I’ll finish it once I’m out of office. We’ll see from there. I believe the future takes care of itself. What I really want to focus on, I don’t want to divert any attention away from these last 10 months, because we really need to get things done…alternative energy standards are crucial for our economic growth, and we need to give school districts relief by passing that consolidated health care plan.”
SCOT PITZER: “You’ve been on various news channels discussing health care. What’s your opinion on the single-payment plan? Do you believe that health care reform will pass any time soon?”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “If the federal bill passes, it wont really take effect until 2014 anyway. The only thing the federal bill will do right away is end the possibility of you being denied for a pre-existing condition. The rest of it is by 2014.”
SCOT PITZER: “Are you optimistic?”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “I was optimistic until the abortion (debate). Now, there are 12 Democrats who aren’t going to vote for it in the House unless they put anti-abortion language in (the bill). That could cause the whole thing to blow up. It’s one of these things where Monday, it looks good. Tuesday, it looks bad. By Wednesday, it’s good, and Thursday it’s bad. So you won’t know until they actually call the roll. But they ought to pass it, because as the President said, it might not be the politically-smart thing to do, but it’s the right thing to do. Sometimes, in this business you have to the right thing and worry about the consequences later.”
SCOT PITZER: “Talk about the ramifications of the performance of the Obama administration in the upcoming elections.”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “It’s too soon to tell, I mean tell me what the economy is going to look like in October, the unemployment rate, the housing market…if you can give me an idea of how those things are going to be, I’ll tell you whether the Obama administration will be a plus or minus for Democrats running in November, but it’s too soon to tell. We’ve got some actual good news – - – they were predicting that unemployment rate would shoot back over 10 percent, and it stayed at 9.7 (percent).”
SCOT PITZER: “If you were running for office, would you ask President Obama to campaign for you?”
GOVERNOR RENDELL: “I am a huge believer, and I’ve said this for 30 years, that endorsements are overrated. If you’re running for governor or mayor, people decide based on the candidate. People always ask me for my endorsement – I say, I’ll give it to you, but I think it’s meaningless. But , I would still take the president’s support, because I think he speaks well to Democrats, and in Pennsylvania, we have 1.3 million more Democrats than other registered voters. It’ll be an interesting year.”
Copyright © 2010 -Gettysburg Times
