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Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner made a stop in Williamsport Saturday, attending the Lycoming County Council of Republican women's annual picnic at James E. Short Park, Loyalsock Township.
Wagner, who said he has made almost 500 stops around the state this year, is running against Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf for the state's top position. A native of York, Wagner runs a waste disposal business and served as a state senator since 2014 before resigning earlier this year to run for governor.
Speaking to the group, Wagner said he witnessed first hand the dysfunction in Harrisburg when he served as a senator.
"Coming from the private sector, it was just very different," he said. "I saw things just not happening. Things way too slow. It's just not working."
"I'm on a mission as I go around Pennsylvania," he said. "I meet people … with different issues. I meet seniors. I meet veterans. I meet school teachers. I meet plant workers. Just a lot of good people in Pennsylvania. It just makes my mission and my drive even stronger. The fact that you're here is what motivates me."
Noting he is concerned about jobs and the economy, Wagner contended that there is a skilled labor crisis in the state caused by the fact there are many jobs that have no one trained to do them.
"We have 200,000 to 400,000 skilled labor positions that are open in Pennsylvania," he said, "We have hit the economic growth wall. You cannot grow businesses if you can't find people. We really need to focus on the skilled labor crisis."
A graduate of the former Williamsport Area Community College, now the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Wagner stressed that education is the means to solve this crisis.
"It's going to be about having a different conversation with parents and young people. Not every student is geared to going off to college," he said.
He cited Penn College as an example of a learning institution where young people can go to learn trades such as welding and electric, as well as positions in the medical field.
"I will guarantee you that there are 30 more jobs that are trying to be filled by recruiters than there are people graduating," he added. "I call that having a supply side problem."
In conjunction with education, Wagner noted that of the $2 billion going into the education system, very little actually goes directly to the classroom, but is used for pensions, health care and wage increases.
"Not a penny has gone into the classrooms," he said.
"My goal is to protect your paycheck from Harrisburg. It needs to get its finances under control," he said.
Wagner received a round of applause from the crowd when he stated that one of his goals, if elected, would be to eliminate school taxes on homes.
"I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm dead serious. It's not a campaign ploy," he said.
Wagner also touched on his position on school safety noting if he is elected every school will have a single point of entry and metal detectors.