HARRISBURG - Unofficial third-party gubernatorial candidate Marguerite "Peg" Luksik of Johnstown opened her campaign on Thursday by calling for massive personal state tax cuts and accusing both the Republican and Democratic political establishments of trashing family values.

Luksik also alleged that incumbent Republican Gov. Tom Ridge has made a backdoor political deal with the federal government on a controversial outcomes-based education program, or OBE. She also claimed that Ridge has seriously jeopardized gun ownership rights in the commonwealth.

Pennsylvania's $673 million surplus, amassed as of June 30, Luksik said, should be returned to the commonwealth's citizens through personal income and other tax reductions. "All of that money came from Pennsylvania families," Luksik said. She called for a 14 percent state personal income tax cut, plus proportionate reduction in other state levies. That could be accomplished without cutting state programs, Luksik claims.

"It's not the governor's money," she said. "It's the money taken from families. The government should collect only the money that it needs."

Ridge campaign spokeswoman Lynn Lawson said the incumbent governor is "very proud of his management of Pennsylvania's finances." Commenting on the fiscal year-end surplus, she said all but $90 million of the excess cash will be lapsed into the 1999-2000 budget year expenditures. The money will be used for education funding increases and to offset business tax cuts, she said.

Luksik, a former teacher, blasted the governor's plan to pump $100 million into enhanced grade school literacy campaigns. She said the proposal would require local school districts to put up matching funds. "That means the richer school districts will get more, and the poorer districts will get less," she said.

The Constitutional Party gubernatorial candidate said despite public claims to the contrary, Ridge has signed a contract with the U.S. Department of Education to begin implementing outcomes-based education. A major controversy flared about five ago when former Gov. Robert Casey tried to impose OBE. The curriculum requires students to achieve government-determined social as well as academic "outcomes" in order to graduate or be promoted to the next grade level.

Luksik also voiced her unqualified support for the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which guarantees the rights of gun ownership. Ridge has jeopardized that right by signing strong gun-control legislation into law, she said.

The Johnstown housewife, businesswoman and mother of six reiterated her strong anti-abortion stand. She said Ridge has waffled on the issue by saying he personally opposes it, but upholds the right of choice. "Anyone that does that has already compromised his own position," she said.

Luksik founded and operates "Mom's House," an anti-abortion, unwed mother shelter and counseling service.

The Constitutional Party gubernatorial nominee refused to confirm or deny reports that she has garnered at least $1 million in campaign cash. "I don't have to disclose anything until September. I'm just living up to Pennsylvania's Election Code, which was written by Republicans and Democrats," she said.

Luksik is slated to file her nominating petitions by the end of July. She said she plans to have more than double of the number required to qualify for a place on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.