A pair of candidates for governor made among-friends appearances in Mercer County over the weekend, strengthening existing support and promising to fight for what is important to Pennsylvanians.

Republican Mike Fisher, unopposed for the GOP nomination, spoke Saturday at the local party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner in Hempfield Township Volunteer Fire Department's Station One banquet center.

Ed Rendell, who faces Bob Casey Jr. in a rugged Democratic primary, rolled into the Shenango Valley on Sunday in a campaign tour bus with his name, face and message on it.

Casey has yet to make a campaign stop in Mercer County this year.

During their visits, both Fisher and Rendell talked about education and spurring the economy.

Fisher, the state attorney general and a former state lawmaker, said he wants to reduce taxes and government spending.

"I understand all of Pennsylvania, not just Scranton (Casey's hometown) or Philadelphia (Rendell's). The two big-spending Democrats have a far different vision for Pennsylvania than I do," said Fisher.

"I'm the only candidate who is willing to say that when the system is not working you have to fix it, not just throw money at it," Fisher said.

Fisher said he wants to build on the past eight years of Republican administration, during which the size of the state's "rainy day fund" has grown from $66 million to more than $1 billion. For the first time in a decade, that fund will probably be used to bail the state out of a budget crunch.

Rendell said he wants to reduce school districts' reliance on property taxes. The state's share of school funding has decreased from 54 percent in 1970 to 35 percent today, Rendell said. Furthermore, the state subsidy of 1 percent does not keep pace with a 3 percent rate of inflation, he said.

Rendell wants to get the state's share up to about 50 percent, and reduce the spending gap on students at the poorest and richest schools.

He sees three potential funding sources for the education increase:

First, he said he would restructure -- or "right size" -- the government, reducing the cost of running it by at least 5 percent.

Second, he would legalize slot-machine gambling at five locations across the state, including four racetracks that employ 35,000 people. Pennsylvanians are pouring their money in slots in West Virginia and New York and other neighboring states. "People are already gambling. Why not keep the money here?" he said. He said the move could generate $500 million.

And, third, Rendell said, he would work to raise the cigarette tax, currently 31 cents a pack. The tax is 66 cents a pack in Maryland, 80 cents a pack in New Jersey and $1.10 a pack in New York. Doubling the current rate and increasing the tax to 62 cents a pack in Pennsylvania could generate $269 million, Rendell said.

Combined, the $1.5 million saved or generated from the three sources could increase the state's share of school funding to 50 percent, Rendell said.

Rendell also touted an economic development plan to revitalize the state's mid-sized and smaller cities, boroughs and townships.