Did Gov. Corbett have "one of the most productive" first years in office in the country?
Yes he did, according to an 11-page internal memo, leaked to the Patriot-News that touted the many accomplishments of the Corbett administration in 2011.
The memo was written by Corbett's deputy chief of staff Luke Bernstein in the form of "talking points" for administration officials heading to the posh Pennsylvania Society gala in New York last month.
Predictably, it beat up on Corbett's Democratic predecessor, Gov. Rendell, for raising taxes in his first year and not getting a budget done on time.
But, surprisingly, it also slammed prior GOP governors, specifically Tom Ridge and Dick Thornburgh, saying Corbett got more done than both of them too.
The memo criticized Thornburgh for imposing four tax increases and Ridge for his failure to get school tuition vouchers through the legislature.
True, Corbett didn't raise taxes, but neither did he get a voucher plan through the General Assembly.
The memo gets some digs in on other Republican governors, among them Scott Walker of Wisconsin and John Kasich of Ohio, both of whom landed in the national spotlight for their knock-down, drag out fights with unions.
Corbett did, in fact, settle contracts with government unions with no such fireworks.
Veteran Republican strategists told the Patriot they were stunned to learn the memo criticized both other Pennsylvania governors - and GOP governors elsewhere - saying it was akin to bashing members of your own team.
Corbett’s press secretary Kevin Harley said the memo was prepared to ensure that staffers all shared a consistent message and as a way to compare Corbett's first year to that of other governors.
“We think Tom Corbett has done an unbelievably great job in his first year as governor. But compared to what?” Harley told the Patriot. “I think it factually listed the facts on each governor, previous Pennsylvania governors and other governors who got elected in the last year."
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