Candidates running against the state?

The six men running to be the state's next governor took equal aim last night at the government that they hope to lead, painting Pennsylvania as a state where it is tough to find a job and run a business.

In a forum run by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the four Democrats and two Republicans did not clash at all as they took turns responding to questions.

They sounded so pro-business that state Attorney General Tom Corbett, an Allegheny County Republican, quipped: "Quite honestly, I feel like I'm at a Republican convention as this goes on."

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, a Democrat, said he wanted to ease the tax burden on businesses and make state agencies like PennDOT and the Department of Environmental Protection user-friendly.

"They've got to understand that when a company asks for a permit, they're not the enemy," Onorato said. "They have a right to expect an answer in four months, not two years."

State Rep. Sam Rohrer, a Berks County Republican, called the state government "hostile" toward business. The next governor must set the tone, he said.

"The bureaucracy works for the governor," Rohrer said.

State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, a Philadelphia Democrat, said that people he talks with want a fair tax system in which everyone pays his share so that the taxpayer doesn't wind up feeling like a "sucker."

Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel, a Democrat, was the only candidate who spoke of raising taxes to solve the state's problems. The other candidates focused on areas where they would cut costs.

Hoeffel cited the "Delaware loophole," which allows corporations to register in that state to avoid paying taxes in Pennsylvania.

"The big corporations take advantage of the loophole," he said. "The little ones don't."

State Auditor General Jack Wagner, an Allegheny County Democrat, said contracts should be fairly bid. That would save money and help smaller businesses, he said.

"First and foremost, I would make sure we're getting the best deal on every contract, the best buy at the lowest cost," Wagner said.

Rohrer said he would search for fraud and waste in three areas where the most money is spent: welfare, education and corrections. He said the welfare ranks should be combed for people who are not eligible for benefits.

The only political shot of the night came from Corbett, when asked about the state's burgeoning public-pension crisis. He noted that some of the participants in the forum had voted to raise state pension benefits - a veiled reference to Rohrer.

The candidates agreed that consolidation of the thousands of public pension plans in the state would cut administrative costs and increase economic power, combining the resources to bring a better return.

The candidates were split on a question about whether Philadelphia should be able to enact and enforce its own gun laws, such as requiring the reporting of lost or stolen firearms and limiting purchases to one gun a month.

Wagner, Corbett and Rohrer said police should enforce existing laws. "We are far better off to have statewide restrictions than local restrictions," Wagner said.

Rohrer said the U.S. Constitution made clear that cities don't have the power to restrict gun ownership.

Corbett noted that the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether Chicago has the power to regulate firearms and that the questions asked in that case suggested that the court will not find for Chicago. "That being the case, I believe good tough law enforcement is the way we should go," Corbett said.

Williams, Onorato and Hoeffel said the city should have some power in gun regulations.

"We should limit purchases to one gun a month," Hoeffel said. "My wife and I would be very safe if we could buy 24 guns a year."