How much spending is enough for Ed Rendell?

State Rep. Sam Rohrer, R-Berks, writing in The Philadelphia Inquirer, is urging Gov. Ed Rendell to curb his voracious appetite for increasing state spending and debt.

Rohrer, a fiscal conservative who is pushing for the elimination of property taxes, cautions Rendell to take a look at the fiscal problems other states are having before he insists in increase spending in Pennsylvania by more than $1 billion for the fiscal year starting July 1.

Rendell has also proposed increasing the state debt by several billion dollars, not a wise move during an economic downturn.

Rohrer writes: After increasing spending by more than $7 billion in only five years, the governor is once again clenching his fists and demanding that Pennsylvania taxpayers allow him another opportunity to "strategically invest" at least $2 billion more of our hard-earned money in order to "stimulate" the economy.

If state government has failed to deliver a tangible rate of economic return for Pennsylvania's families in terms of property tax relief, job creation, improved roads and bridges, and reduced energy prices with $7 billion over five years, what reputable financial institution would hand over an additional $2 billion based on even more empty promises? How much spending is enough?

Read the full column here.