Lights, camera, Itkin...

Gubernatorial candidate featured in 'Real Talk'

Published 9/24/98

Gubernatorial candidate Ivan Itkin spoke about topics from health care to job creation with Point Park College Journalism and Mass Communications professor Joan Williams-Giuliani at a taping of "Real Talk: Face the Issues."

On Tuesday, Sept. 22, Itkin elaborated on his campaign platform, saying that his more than 25 years of political experience has given him a knowledge of how Pennsylvania works. From setting an agenda as a former majority leader in the state house of representatives to unsuccessfully running for the state senate, Itkin said he has seen government at its best and worst.

"I believe that we reached a point in our government that we're going in the wrong direction," Itkin said, noting that Pennsylvania isn't spending its money on where it should be spending.

"Education is paramount," Itkin said, mentioning schools such as the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University that could possibly give Pittsburgh a new image for the next century.

Instead of spending budget surpluses on tax breaks for a few corporations that he said, "pay for the (company's) moving van," Itkin suggested Pennsylvania should use the money to reduce property taxes, a measure he said would benefit all Pennsylvanians. "We've seen too much of the abandonment of Pittsburgh," he said.

With the state's current budget surplus, Itkin said he would, if elected governor, give an annual 10 percent reduction in property taxes over five years and invest the rest of the money in education.

In order to boost the state's public education system, Itkin said he would reward good schools with incentives and rehabilitate schools that are struggling.

Itkin said he plans to travel to the state's urban areas, hoping his presence there will motivate local residents, who are mostly Democrats, to vote. In addition, because he is being outspent by Republican Governor Tom Ridge, Itkin said his campaign will have to involve more one-on-one interaction with voters.

Before the "Real Talk" taping, Itkin said the areas he would be focusing on include southwestern Pennsylvania, northeastern Pennsylvania and Philadelphia. In addition, Itkin said he's targeting 15 specific counties that he must win if he hopes to defeat Ridge.

Pennsylvania has 67 counties.

A problem with the current way tax dollars are distributed, Itkin said, is that too much money is going to too few businesses. "Special interests dictate what we get in Pennsylvania," he said, noting that Pennsylvania taxpayers are "not getting economic development that we're entitled to," citing Pittsburgh as last in job growth, and Philadelphia ranking last out of 25 major cities in growth as well.

Itkin was in Pennsylvania politics for more than 25 years. He was elected house majority caucus chairman in 1983, served as speaker of the house pro tempore in the late 1980s and was house majority leader in 1993.

After the Itkin taping, "Real Talk" taped another segment featuring KDKA-TV political analyst Jonathan Delano. The topic was about the president, congress and the law. The role of the grand jury and the current presidential scandal involving Monica Lewinsky were also discussed.

Caption: Gubernatorial candidate Ivan Itkin poses with Journalism and Mass Communication professor Joan Williams-Giuliani after a taping of "Real Talk: Face the Issues." Photo by Joeseph Grebek.

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