Around the politicians

• For the New Jersey governor's race, the Inquirer follows up it's recent "campaign style" series with a welcome "candidate substance" series, starting today with Doug Forrester. Since I mocked the former, I owe them kudos for running the latter closer to the election, when voters will be starting to put their antennas up. Interestingly, however, Forrester declined an interview -- pass up free publicity? substantive coverage? what's to hide?
  
  Anyway, the main Forrester themes that they cite are "Eliminate waste, fraud and abuse. End pay to play. Cut property taxes." A little vague on details, he promises to slash property taxes and make up the difference from state coffers fattened by trimming waste without raising taxes. hmmm. Looks like a lot of spending cuts, but mums the word on which programs would go. Anyway, an assortment of other proposals noted in this article too, from a joint health care fund for small businesses to a rail system linking New York and Atlantic City.
  
  
• A little closer to home, the race for Philadelphia's top financial watch-dog spot, City Controller, has heated up a bit as the Republican candidate was found to have accepted $100k (two-thirds of his entire fundraising for the last four months) from a single donor -- 40 times the maximum allowed contribution (story from Saturday). Given all the battles for the ethical high-ground in this race (see prev. here), this was a nontrivial misstep. Today he offers to return the money, but that may or may not convince voters that he's the right man to help clean up the local political culture.
  
  
• The Daily News points out that next Tuesday's election ticket includes the city District Attorney but little anticipated excitement as "tough cookie" Lynne Abraham coasts to victory. Her opponent (she has an opponent?) has $65 in the bank and zero chances. Look for more action when the next Democratic primary for this position rolls around...