Gov. Tom Ridge has announced that he will withhold $600,000 from the Penn State Harrisburg library until the project has been reviewed.

The review is acceptable as long as the new administration is genuinely dedicated to finding out whether the project is worth the money.

If the review is merely a delaying tactic to postpone providing the money, then education will suffer at the hand of everyday politics. Ridge must remember that education should be a priority in Pennsylvania.

Because the budget surplus is not anywhere near as high as former Gov. Robert Casey predicted, the public should expect the new administration to look closely at any funds going to new projects.

By taking the time to review the money and risking the public backlash for withholding money from something as beneficial as a library, Ridge is fulfilling his obligation as governor and listening to the mandate of the people for more accountability in their, government.

As long as a review is done to ensure that taxpayers' money is not being squandered, it is a necessary step in the appropriations process for any government project.