Guy Ciarrocchi: It’s time for Shapiro to get moderate ‘stuff’ done
Governor Shapiro, you’re on the clock.
It’s budget season again in Pennsylvania. Shapiro will soon release his third budget and offer his annual budget address.
For a governor who professed to be a moderate, his record contradicts his rhetoric. For a governor who preaches bipartisanship, his own rhetoric contradicts that. And, for a governor who continuously proclaims that he “gets s— done;” sadly, his record is a disappointment.
Yet it’s this budget — on the heels of a transformational election, with a clear call for a national and state course-correction — where Governor Shapiro gets to tell Pennsylvanians what he learned and where he wants to lead us. And if he truly wants to get “stuff” done.
As he prepares his budget, our Democratic governor faces a Senate with a clear GOP majority, including a new GOP State Senator from, of all places, Philadelphia. And a state house currently sitting at 101-101.
For a governor who campaigned as a moderate and wants to be able to tout his successes from Delco to Des Moines, Iowa, the good news is that there is a path forward. A path that will get good “stuff” done, helping Pennsylvanians regardless of party registration, and that will impress even Democratic primary voters in Iowa and New Hampshire.
There is a commonsense, moderate agenda that allows Shapiro to focus on issues that all voters care about and that impact our lives, matching his rhetoric as a candidate and as governor.
Let’s focus on our children.
For too many students, public education isn’t working. Test scores are stagnant or falling. Too many schools are “chronically violent.” Student anxiety is rising. And many parents feel voiceless as school curricula are becoming increasingly focused on politics and culture wars, and less focused on preparing our children to be successful adults.
Despite the reality that the public school district student population is falling, Commonwealth taxpayers added $1 billion in new spending in 2023 and $1.5 billion more in 2024. Nonetheless, many Democrats — and the ever-persistent teachers unions — want even more money in 2025.
Nearly all Republicans — and some Democrats, like State Senator Anthony Williams and State Representative Amen Brown (and several others who will confide in private) — want to expand school choice by offering scholarships to parents to find any school that works for their children, especially for poor and working class families whose children are financially trapped in demonstrably failing district schools. Past efforts at “lifeline scholarships” have been blocked by Shapiro’s party.
Yet Shapiro told Pennsylvanians and all Americans on national TV and countless print reporters that “every child of God deserves a shot to succeed.” And, later, in case anyone was unsure what he meant: “And I also think it’s really important that we empower parents to put their kids in the best place for them to be able to succeed.”
Good news: there is a path forward.
There can be increased spending in education. It should be delivered to parents to find a school that works — so that parents can hold schools accountable, by voting with their feet and enrolling their child in a school that works.
And, if there “has to” be more money for district schools, then require them to focus on academics not politics — and also offer scholarships to parents so that no child is forced to attend a school that is obviously failing, obviously unsafe, or ignores the voices of parents.
No partisan advantage. No “us versus them.” Moderate, commonsense, child and taxpayer-focused “stuff” so that every child “gets a shot.”
The same can be true to fight inflation, create jobs, and revive rural Pennsylvania. Shapiro must honor his campaign pledge to abandon “RGGI.” It’s a state plan that essentially kills Pennsylvania natural gas, causes even higher energy prices, and crushes jobs in rural and southwest Pennsylvania. (And, yes, Governor, this includes your rebranding of it with your own names PACER, PRESS or its national “cousin,” the “green new deal.” It’s not “green” and it’s only a “deal” for well-healed lobbyists and climate extremists — paid for by us through higher prices and less dependable energy.)
Candidate Shapiro said he opposed RGGI. An overwhelming bipartisan majority of legislators oppose RGGI and want to unleash Pennsylvania natural gas. Locally produced, clean Pennsylvania natural gas honors the Governor’s pledge to end state regulations that punish natural gas and his pledge to help “working men and women.”
Pennsylvania is sitting on more energy than Saudi Arabia. A smart, thoughtful bipartisan plan can get it out of the ground safely and into our homes, schools, hospitals, and factories to provide low-cost, dependable energy. And, we can create thousands of jobs in the energy, chemical and manufacturing sectors, competing with Texas, Florida — and China!
Charting this path is bipartisan, moderate, and commonsense — focusing on the issues, concerns and hopes we talk about at the kitchen table.
On the stump and in barbershops, Shapiro talks about helping small businesses. He’s taken baby steps. Now, with the national election’s message loud and clear, it’s time to be boldly moderate!
The governor knows that state regulations and the agencies that enforce them and process countless licenses is cumbersome, slow-moving, and not friendly to job-creation. He issued a directive that would require an applicant’s money be returned when an application takes too long.
Almost there, Governor, but we have to do better: by focusing on results, not processes. Do what many successful states do: when an application for a permit or license takes too long to process; it’s “deemed approved.” People trying to open a diner and needing a license don’t want their money back; they need their license.
Moreover, Harrisburg requires too many licenses. Let’s start with those barbershops you like to visit. Eliminate costly, time-consuming licenses from Harrisburg to cut hair — and for dozens of other careers. Speed up approvals for permits. Everybody wins, nobody loses.
Let parents choose schools that work, so that their children learn math, writing and science — not the teachers’ political views.
Use clean, Pennsylvania natural gas to lower costs and create jobs.
Eliminate unnecessary licenses, and enact “deemed approved.”
Let’s get commonsense, moderate stuff done. Shapiro would get praise in Media, Monroeville — and Manchester, New Hampshire. And it would be well-earned.
Guy Ciarrocchi is a Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation. He served as Chief of Staff to Lt. Governor Jim Cawley. He writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. Follow Guy @PaSuburbsGuy.