Rendell in new territory in criticisms of Corbett
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A controversy over a proposal by the Corbett administration to establish an asset test for food stamp recipients drew former Gov. Ed Rendell back into the fray last week at the Capitol.
Rendell asked Gov. Tom Corbett to scrap a proposal by the Department of Public Welfare to deny food stamps to those with financial assets of more than $2,000 or in the case of individuals with disabilities or over age 60 having assets of more than $3,250.
Rendell appeared at a Capitol press conference with Democratic lawmakers to make his appeal and release a letter he sent to Corbett on the matter.
The welfare department is pursuing the asset test as a way to reduce fraud and abuse in welfare programs, but Rendell makes the argument that an asset test isn't necessary since federal law requires that a means test be done to determine if recipient food stamp families earn below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. He said an asset test is impractical in terms of administrative cost savings since state welfare officials will have to contact banks to verify the bank accounts of recipients.
This is the second time since he left office one year ago that Rendell has come to the Capitol to weigh in on an action taken by his successor. On the first occasion last fall, Rendell urged a reversal of policies making deep cuts in state spending for education programs begun during his tenure. Rendell explained his rules of engagement in dealing with Corbett.
"I will continue to speak out on those issues I think are important, but I will do it in a non-partisan way," he said.
In that vein, Rendell pointed to the opening paragraph of his letter, where he said he understands the pressure the governor faces in keeping the state budget in balance in difficult economic times.
"The buck stops with you, and as a result you need to be relentless in your effort to find waste and eliminate it," wrote Rendell.
Rendell is moving into new territory for ex-governors. Former governors are usually trotted out to endorse a bipartisan establishment consensus on legislation or a constitutional amendment that faces voter approval. Years ago, former Govs. William Scranton and George Leader chaired a committee to reform state banking laws, for example.
Former Gov. Tom Ridge has also stretched boundaries with his former role as paid spokesman for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry trade group of drilling companies. Ridge's firm, Ridge Policy Group, has a one-year contract with the coalition for $900,000 that expired last summer.
Corbett's circle
Corbett has turned to a circle of aides from his days as state attorney general and associates in the prosecutorial world to take key posts in his administration.
The latest is the nomination of Gary Tennnis to be secretary of the emerging state Department of Drug and Alcohol Program. Tennis has been the long-time legislative advocate for the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association.
"Gary Tennis has been a passionate advocate for effective drug and alcohol treatment within and outside the judicial system," said Corbett.
The department was created under a state law enacted in 2010, but is just getting organized.
In two high-profile appointments, Corbett named Frank Noonan, his chief of criminal investigations in the AG's office, as state police commissioner and Frank Ryan, a former acting state attorney general, as chairman of the state Gaming Control Board.
(Swift is Harrisburg bureau chief for Times-Shamrock Communications newspapers. E-mail rswift@timesshamrock.com.)
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