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Rendell's new reform era

Guv calls for smart changes in Harrisburg

LIKE NIGHT follows day, scandals in Harrisburg are followed by cries for reform. This time, though, cries are coming from an unusual place: the governor's office.

Gov. Rendell called a news conference earlier this week to vow that he would spend the remainder of his term pushing for big reforms. Rendell wants major changes in redistricting, campaign finance and judicial elections.

Normally, we'd say these ideas will be dead on arrival, especially in Harrisburg. Governors who have little more than a year left in office often announce bold, impossible plans — like flying to the moon or curing cancer — with little risk, since they know few will take them seriously.

But these are not normal times.

In the past two years, more than two dozen people from both parties have been charged with fraud and corruption. That includes five current or former elected officials, three of whom held important leadership positions within the Legislature. Those allegations come on the heels on the 2005 pay-raise scandal, when lawmakers voted for an increase in the middle of the night. Public outrage forced them to repeal the move.

Rendell is smart enough to have calculated that this time, maybe the public is outraged enough to push for reform. (We're counting on that, too.) So, here's a guide to Round 2:

Redistricting: Currently, the leadership of both parties draw the boundaries of their districts. Rendell wants a citizen-driven commission, which would be independent from political influence.

Campaign-finance reform. Rendell is proposing contribution limits between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on the race. He also wants a cap on total contributions for individuals ($50,000) and political-action committees ($100,000) and a ban on contributions from lobbyists.

Merit selection for judges instead of elections. Switching to merit selection would mean the governor appoints judges and then they must be confirmed by the state Senate.

All of these changes threaten the status quo. The problem is, they also require action from the Legislature, whose members like their quo to remain static. But this is a time when public push-back could make a big difference. Outraged citizens should call their state lawmakers' office, and tell them that unless they want a repeat of the blood that followed the pay-raise scandal, they ought to pay attention. *