State Sen. J. Doyle Corman, R-Bellefonte, announced Friday his bid for re-election for the 34th district seat saying he would work to create more jobs, establish affordable automobile insurance rates, lower hospital costs and bring more funding to education.

"I enjoy my job, and have been doing it for about 13 years. I wish to continue to do that and continue to be your senator," Corman told about 60 prominent community and state Republican leaders gathered in the Fireside Room of the Nittany Lion Inn, North Atherton Street. "I have been a strong voice in the senate and I want to continue to be one."

Also high on Corman's agenda is the state House and Senate vote this week on legislation that would make backhauling -- transporting waste in trucks previously used to haul food products -- illegal in Pennsylvania.

"There's much to be done, I've only mentioned a few. I just wanted to share with you that I want to continue to represent the 34th district and continue to make Central Pennsylvania a great place to live and work," Corman said.

The 34th district includes all of Centre, Clinton, Cameron and Mifflin counties and parts of Clearfield and Juanita counties.

Corman, the 34th district senator since 1977, had little to say about his only opponent to date, Lock Haven resident Robert Ohl, who announced Jan. 17 he is running for the Democratic nomination for the seat.

"I don't know my opponent. The only thing I know about is what I read in the paper, and that looks pretty good," Corman said.

Ohl, a retired schoolteacher, said he is waiting until after the spring primaries to comment extensively on his plans for the area.

"Leadership and integrity are the things I'm going to talk about," Ohl said. Many of the area's problems are interrelated, such as the need for funding education and creating more jobs, Corman said.

"Better funding for education would mean more people being educated, and more people would gain better jobs," he said.

But Corman said Gov. Robert P. Casey's budget address tomorrow will probably not hold many promising proposals for the state.

"There is a problem facing us -- they are $100 million shorter than they should be, and the governor is also not spending any money," he said. "The governor is holding back spending to balance the budget -- this is not the year he wants to go into the red."

In an introductory speech, State College Mayor Arnold Addison said Corman's experience is an indication of the work he has done for the area.

"So often we are judged by the company we keep -- Sen. Corman keeps some good company," Addison said.

Corman currently heads the Senate transportation committee and has served on the appropriations, labor and industry, and public health and welfare committees.

Before his terms as senator, Corman, 57, was a Centre County commissioner for nine years and president of Southeastern Development Association of the Centre Region Council of Governments for three years.