Is this the era of Pennsylvania working together?

As he took the oath of office for a second term Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf could not help himself from pointing out something that was going on 120 miles to the south.

Wolf was in the Capitol, where he laid out the hopes for the next four years.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., life has come to a screeching halt, as President Trump and Congress continue to be at an impasse over funding for a wall on the nation’s southern border that has shut down the federal government.

Wolf sounded a theme of unity and of a state where things get done. He parroted something first offered by Republican state Senate Majority leader Jake Corman: “We’re not like Washington. We can work together here in Harrisburg. We can get things done.”

What a difference four years makes.

The avuncular, bearded Democrat rode into the governor’s mansion with a promise of being “a new type of governor.”

It didn’t take long for him to turn into the big, bad Wolf, at least in the eyes of the Republican majorities that controlled both the Senate and House.

Wolf campaigned on huge boosts in spending, particularly on education, which had seen funding cuts under former Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, in part because federal stimulus funds were eliminated.

To do that, Wolf needed revenue. He proposed a severance tax on the state’s booming natural gas industry. Republicans, who had instead backed an “impact fee” pushed by Corbett, opposed the plan.

In fact, they stood steadfast against any tax hikes. When Wolf proposed substantial hikes in both the state personal income and sales taxes, they could hardly stifle the snickers.

Facing a re-election test, the talk of tax cuts was nowhere to be found in Wolf’s last budget address.

This week Wolf pulled out his version of “Mr. Rogers Goes to Harrisburg,” lauding a new spirit of cooperation and hailing the accomplishments of his first term, including legalization of medical marijuana, several measures to help protect victims of domestic violence and starting the slow process of boosting education funding.

Perhaps most notable in Wolf’s address was his clear effort to reach across the aisle and embrace the seeds of bipartisan work that appeared to be taking root toward the tail end of term number one.

There was no mention of his long-sought – and long opposed by the GOP – push for a new tax on natural gas.

There is good reason for Wolf’s call to rise above the ideological divide. He cruised to a lopsided win over former Republican Sen. Scott Wagner in November. And there are a slew of new Democratic faces now looking back at him in the Legislature, especially after big wins by Democrats here in the suburban counties. But both the Senate and House remain firmly in Republican control.

“Today, I ask you to choose hope over hopelessness, empathy over apathy. I ask you to choose action over passivity,” Wolf said in his prepared inaugural remarks. “Let us have faith in what we can achieve together – in what we can build together.”

Tom Wolf is now that most dangerous of politicians – an incumbent who cannot run again. Pennsylvania governors are limited to two terms.

Wolf has the next four years to build on what he accomplished in his first term, something he suggested the entire state can be proud of.

“The accomplishments of the last four years aren’t my accomplishments,” Wolf said. These are our accomplishments. Pennsylvanians have earned the right to feel optimistic about our future.”

But the real test of Wolf 2.0 likely will come in a few weeks when the governor delivers another budget address.

As usual, storm clouds already are forming over the state’s fiscal fortunes.

The state’s independent Fiscal Office is projecting a $1.7 billion revenue shortfall. The state’s two large public employee pension plans continue to bleed red ink.

It is our hope that Wolf and Republicans do not forget the niceties that were exchanged this week.

That they remember they were sent to Harrisburg to get things done, to work together to address the state’s clear needs.

If we want an example of how not to lead, all we need to do is divert our eyes to the nation’s capital.