Corbett To Face State's Problems As Governor

After the high of winning a big election is over, the reality of governing a very big state in difficult economic times with a huge budget deficit and lots of different critics is enough to challenge anyone.

Governor-elect Tom Corbett wants that challenge and for the first time in a decade a Pennsylvania governor may have a sympathetic legislature.

Voters gave Republican Corbett a decent victory on Tuesday, but now comes the hard part -- governing -- and local residents have no shortage of priorities for the new governor.

"First priority would be just making sure everybody in Pittsburgh is able to get a job," says Tina Likovich of Turtle Creek.

"I believe that jobs are the first thing Pennsylvania needs and if there is some way he can bring jobs here that would be a wonderful thing," says Jack Farberow of Mt. Lebanon.

Getting Pennsylvanians back to work is something Corbett promised during the campaign, but his greatest challenge will be to balance the state's growing deficit through spending cuts and no tax increases.

"The budget process, well, we will begin sitting down very quickly, preliminarily with the legislature to take a look at what the budget is like," says Corbett.

After his victory speech, Corbett offered no specifics on what programs he would cut, but with the Republicans taking control of both chambers of the legislature, a top House Republican said he could expect a real partner in the General Assembly.

"He's going to have a partnership with legislators to enact a bold agenda, fiscally responsible agenda, an agenda that is focused on creating jobs through making a better business climate and an agenda that's going to have more open and accountable government," says State Rep. Mike Turzai, a McCandless Republican who is poised to become House Majority Leader.

As much as Republican legislators want Governor Corbett to be successful, just look to Washington, D.C. to see how it doesn't always work out.

President Obama had both houses of Congress controlled by fellow Democrats, got a lot passed, but the voters didn't seem to like it.