HARRISBURG - Gov. Tom Ridge has spent state money on public school reading and crime prevention programs without correctly identifying the problems intended to be solved or devising proper solutions, Constitutional Party gubernatorial candidate Peg Luksik of Johnstown said Monday.

Luksik claimed the state pumped $100 million into a special reading program after a survey indicated about 30 percent of all fourth graders were illiterate. However, she also claimed the survey did not indicate whether most of those illiterate fourth graders were in wealthy or poorer public school districts. But most of the remedial reading funds, she said, went to wealthier districts.

Moreover, Luksik noted that Ridge, an incumbent Republican seeking re-election, passed over $56,000 in state money last week, at State College, Centre County, the scene of a student riot last month.

"For what?" Luksik asked as she addressed a luncheon meeting of the Pennsylvania Press Club as part of her campaign in Central Pennsylvania.

"This is irresponsible spending," the third-party candidate said. "It's tax money. And that means it's money taken from families that could have used it for other things. Government should demand 10-cents worth of service for every nickel spent."

The Johnstown-area mother of six is in her fourth try to become Pennsylvania's governor. She said her campaign will focus on moral values. "There really is a standard of right and wrong," she said, indicating that all government officials should be held to the highest possible standard.

Luksik described government as a service organization. "And the governor should serve as chief executive officer of that publicly funded service organization."

She serves as board chairman of "Mom's House," a private social service organization with 12 branches in four states.

"Mom's House" provides counseling, medical and day-care services for unwed mothers who make the choice to continue their education.

Luksik also left little doubt that she remains strongly anti-abortion and adamantly pro-gun-owner rights.

She accused Ridge of being pro-abortion and slammed leaders of Pennsylvania's Republican-controlled General Assembly for not considering tougher anti-abortion laws for fear of embarrassing the governor.

Luksik also said she would campaign hard against legalized slot machines and other forms of gaming.

The Constitutional Party candidate for governor refused to comment on reports that she has in excess of $1 million in her campaign war chest. As a third party candidate she is not legally compelled to file campaign finance statements until Sept. 22. "You'll see then," she said.

However, Luksik noted that she has run two television advertising campaigns already. A third will open later this week, with a major statewide telemarketing effort to open after Labor Day.

Luksik also claims to have a strong grass-roots organization with more than 6,000 volunteers in all 67 counties.

She's running as a third party candidate, Luksik said, because seeking either the Republican or Democratic nominations "would mean selling out on principle just to get elected."

Her campaign, she said, is about principle and ethical behavior.