State of Pennsylvania Archives: on Budget & Economy

Joe Gale: I support lower levels of spending, of borrowing, of taxes

Jim Christiana: Voted against numerous proposals to spike taxes and spending

Results: As a State Representative, Jim applied these same principles to the state budget. He voted against numerous proposals to spike taxes and spending. Jim has been a warrior for transparency in Harrisburg, championing legislation to create the PennWATCH and SchoolWATCH databases. These proposals made $62 billion of annual spending more transparent.

• Lou Barletta & Bob Casey continually voted to raise Washington's debt ceiling.
• Lou Barletta & Bob Casey refused to control or cut spending.
• Lou Barletta & Bob Casey contributed to the $440 billion federal deficit.

Brian Fitzpatrick: End waste, fraud & abuse; plus Balanced-Budget Amendment

• Pass "No Budget, No Pay" so that legislators who fail to pass a budget on time do not get paid.
• Force the bureaucrats to defend every taxpayer dollar they spend by enacting "zero-based" budgeting.
• Support a Balanced-Budget Amendment to our Constitution to end the limitless borrowing which is crippling our future.
• Bolster and empower the Office of Inspectors General (OIGs) to aggressively investigate and prosecute all instances of Fraud, Waste and Abuse in federal agencies, which costs taxpayers billions annually.
• End the Federal government's duplication of agencies and programs, a practice that costs our economy billions of dollars.
• Bolster and empower the Office of Inspectors General (OIGs) to aggressively investigate and prosecute all instances of Fraud, Waste and Abuse in federal agencies, which costs taxpayers billions annually.

Everett Stern: Market-led recovery better than federal stimulus

A: Strongly Oppose.

Tom Smith: Stagnant economy due to over-regulation & complex taxes

He hears those concerns echoed in countless meetings across the state, as workers and business owners share their frustrations about the economy, and about Washington adding to those burdens. "Businesses are scared to expand right now," Smith says. "It's understandable. I lived that."

After 20 years running mining operations, Smith knows that businesses need consistency to expand and flourish: in energy prices, regulations, and tax policy. It just isn't there today. An overly complex tax code also hurts, Smith says.

Marc Scaringi: We need a balanced budget amendment

"We need a balanced budget amendment. That is really the only way we have to stop career politicians to spend us to bankruptcy," Scaringi said. He called for elimination of those agencies that harm the economy and are not supported by the Constitution.

Joe Sestak: Auto & bank bailouts were to clean up Bush's mess

Sestak said he had to clean up the mess left behind by irresponsible spending and tax-cutting under President George W. Bush. "We'd been torpedoed and had to caulk the holes," he said.

The two actually agreed that the tone of their race had grown negative, but neither accepted blame for it. Both defended their ads as issues-based and accurate.

Pat Toomey: We can't borrow and spend our way to prosperity

Sestak said he had to clean up the mess left behind by irresponsible spending and tax-cutting under President George W. Bush. "We'd been torpedoed and had to caulk the holes," he said.

The two actually agreed that the tone of their race had grown negative, but neither accepted blame for it. Both defended their ads as issues-based and accurate.

Joe Sestak: Deregulation of banks led to the economic meltdown

"I learned in the Navy to expect what you inspect," said Sestak, a retired admiral who served for 30 years in the Navy before being elected to Congress in 2006. "Even little league football has a referee on the field. He [Toomey] removed the referee from Wall Street."

Toomey said he admired Sestak's creative mind, but said his opponent did not understand the financial system. The real threat to the economy, he said, is in the billions of dollars spent on bailouts for banks and the auto industry, along with the economic stimulus and now a health-care regime that he said were all pushing the deficit to stratospheric levels. "Some people believe if you are productive and successful you should get soaked and get soaked hard. I just don't believe in that," Toomey said.

Pat Toomey: Real threat to economy is billions on bailouts

Toomey said he admired Sestak's creative mind, but said his opponent did not understand the financial system. The real threat to the economy, he said, is in the billions of dollars spent on bailouts for banks and the auto industry, along with the economic stimulus and now a health-care regime that he said were all pushing the deficit to stratospheric levels. "Some people believe if you are productive and successful you should get soaked and get soaked hard. I just don't believe in that," Toomey said. He said productive companies and entrepreneurs create jobs. "We need to prevent this radical Democratic agenda, get spending under control, and cut taxes where we can, and we'll see the economy come roaring back," he said.

Pat Toomey: Strengthen economy via lower taxes & less spending

The two candidates found some common ground on questions geared toward the economy. Both said federal spending needs to be reduced.

"When I was (in Congress) I was fighting against the spending that was going on," said Toomey.

Sestak said he would like to see the government extend help to the group he says drives the economy--"The working family, not Wall Street"--by getting tax cuts to that group.

Sestak said he does not support the flat tax as he said Toomey does, and the government should look to guarantee community bank loans to entice borrowers.

Toomey said he believes in strengthening the economy through lower taxes, less spending and increasing domestic energy production.