Taking aim at Gov. Tom Ridge, gubernatorial candidate Peg Luksik on Monday called for less gun control and stricter law enforcement.

Speaking at the City-County Building, Downtown, Luksik, the Constitutional Party candidate from Johnstown, Cambria County, said the Ridge administration has infringed on Pennsylvanians' right to bear arms and allowed criminals to skirt the law.

Luksik said mandatory sentencing of criminals who use handguns was being enforced "one-half of one percent of the time" and that she was "absolutely prepared to be ruthless" in enforcing that law.

"If they (judges and prosecutors) fail to do their jobs, by accepting plea bargains and failing to impose mandatory sentences, I can cut their budgets, trim their staffs, even refuse their salaries, until they begin performing as the law requires," she said.

Luksik argued that strict mandatory sentencing is a more effective crime-fighting measure than gun control.

"Gun control takes guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens, but leaves criminals armed to the teeth. Criminals will get guns whether the rest of us have them to protect ourselves or not," she said.

Luksik, 43, received 13 percent of the vote for governor in 1994. This year she is running for governor against Republican incumbent Ridge and the Democratic nominee, State Rep. Ivan Itkin of Point Breeze.

Luksik said members of the Constitutional Party believe government operates best on a local level and places priority on the maintenance of constitutional rights. She claims to have 10,000 active volunteers in the state.

Officials from the Ridge campaign defended the governor's record.

"Tom Ridge is a former assistant prosecutor whose commitment to fighting crime is very clear and his record is very strong," said Lynn Lawson, a spokeswoman for his campaign.

Lawson cited Ridge's first term and the National Rifle Association's July endorsement of the governor to demonstrate that the governor is tough on crime and supports gun-owner rights.

In 1995, Ridge called a special Legislative session on crime. The result was more than 40 new crime laws, including three constitutional amendments.

"His record on fighting crime stands heads and shoulders above his opponents," Lawson said.