Another signal of education reform as Corbett’s top priority

Charles Zogby, former Education Secretary under Govs. Tom Ridge and Mark Schweiker from 2001 through 2003, will serve as Secretary of the Budget for governor-elect Tom Corbett.

Mr. Zogby has gained a reputation as an outspoken advocate for education reform. During the Ridge Administration, the state established the charter school law and created a series of new academic standards for public schools. Since 2003, Mr. Zogby has been senior vice president of education and policy for K12, a Virginia-based provider of curriculums for cyber schools and homeschoolers.

Mr. Zogby served as director of policy under Mr. Ridge before being appointed as secretary of education. After Mr. Ridge departed to serve as the first Secretary of Homeland Security, Mr. Zogby continued to lead the state Department of Education under Mr. Schweiker.

With Mr. Zogby’s experience and background on school choice issues, his selection is another signal the Corbett Administration plans to make education reform a top priority, said Charlie Gerow, a Harrisburg-based political strategist.

In a statement, Mr. Corbett said he chose Mr. Zogby based on his experience and leadership skills.

“Our goal is to enact a responsible, commonsense budget,” Corbett said. “Charles Zogby’s experience and knowledge of the inner workings of state government make him an ideal choice as Budget Secretary.”

Senate Appropriations Chairman Jake Corman (R-Centre) applauded Mr. Zogby’s selection.

“There will be no easy choices in the years ahead, and the General Assembly will have to work with the new Budget Secretary to ensure that the commonwealth lives within its means and honors its commitment to taxpayers to operate as efficiently as possible,” said Mr. Corman.

With the state facing a $63 million deficit in the current fiscal year and an estimated $4 billion shortfall next year – the result of federal stimulus funds coming to an end and the use of one-time revenue sources to balance the budget in the current fiscal year – the position will be one of the most critical in the Corbett Administration.

However, the office’s role in the budget process will be reduced next year with the creation of a new legislative fiscal office which gives the General Assembly a greater hand in making budgetary decisions.

The legislative fiscal office will operate in an advisory role, similar to the Congressional Budget Office at the federal level. It will also certify revenue estimates for the next fiscal year.

House Appropriations Chair Bill Adolph (R-Delaware) said he was looking forward to working with Mr. Zogby. He said the new fiscal office would be beneficial to the budget discussion as well.

“It’s good to have an independent voice at the budget table and another expert as far as the certifying of the projected revenues and what the expenses are going to be. I think it will be a plus,” said Mr. Adolph.

The Office of the Budget has two main operational areas which the secretary oversees. The Governor’s Budget Office is responsible for preparation and implementation of the state budget and the State Comptroller oversees the state’s accounting, payroll and financial reporting systems.

The current Secretary of the Budget is Mary Soderberg, who has served in the post since 2008.

Despite the significance of the position, the governor’s Budget Secretary does not require confirmation by the state Senate.

The 18 cabinet-level positions within the administration do require Senate confirmation by a majority vote. So far, Mr. Corbett has nominated four of those positions.

On December 9, Mr. Corbett nominated C. Alan Walker, president and CEO of Bradford Energy Company, as secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

On December 17, Mr. Corbett nominated Frank Noonan, currently the head of criminal investigations in the Attorney General’s office, as state police commissioner. The same day, he nominated John Wetzel, warden of Franklin County Jail, as secretary of corrections.

Tuesday, Mr. Corbett nominated Glenn Moyer, director of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association, as secretary of banking.

During the past month, Mr. Corbett has also named four other key executive branch officials which do not require Senate confirmation. They are: Annmarie Kaiser as legislative secretary, Jennifer Branstetterer as policy secretary, Kelly Powell Logan as secretary of administration and Kevin Harley as director of communications.

Democrat lawmakers did not return requests for comment.