Rendell Responds to Swann Spending Attack

Lynn Swann, attempting to find something that'll stick to Ed Rendell, criticized the incumbent Democratic Governor with a large increase in state spending in his first term. Spending overall has increased by 27% under Rendell. Swann thinks he can use this to finally gain some traction with voters. The Rendell team has responded by reminding Swann that much of the increase in state spending is the result of Bush's budget cuts. Less federal funding for mandated programs means more state and local spending.

This has been a serious shifting of tax burdens since George Bush took office. State and County governments have seen steadily declining funds for programs they are required to provide. These unfunded mandates have put enormous pressure on local property taxes. For example the No Child Left Behind policy has required extensive and expensive testing. It has only funded 30% of those costs however. Guess where the other 70% came from? Money funding everything from youth and family services, community development block grants (water and sewer) and others, have been cut.

Rendell's campaign is quick to point out that the governor did not increase spending alone. The GOP-controlled Legislature signed off on those increases.

The Rendell campaign defends the spending increases as necessary in light of federal funding cuts and the governor's priority to spend more state money on schools and expand medical assistance programs.