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JULY 13, 2011 | Commentary by PRIYA ABRAHAM
Government Transparency in Pennsylvania Becomes a Reality
The last few months saw immense partisan animosity and demeaning comments during numerous spats under the Capitol Dome. But amid the fiscal fist fights over school choice, a natural gas tax, university subsidy cuts and really, everything concerning the FY 2011-12 state budget, one important bipartisan pact emerged: creating tr
JANUARY 17, 2011 | Policy Report by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
80 Ideas for a Prosperous Pennsylvania
A Blueprint for Transforming the Commonwealth
Pennsylvania must undergo a rapid transformation to reverse the poor policy decisions that have eroded economic freedoms and brought the state to its present condition. To provide a roadmap for success in this critical endeavor, the Commonwealth Foundation has compiled a list of 80 policy recommendations for Gov. Corbett and state legi
SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 | Commentary by MAURICE MCTIGUE
Making PA Budgets Honest
American governments are built around the power of legislatures to challenge administrations through public debate. From this debate come better policy decisions. However, if one side has a monopoly on fiscal information, it can hamper reasonable debate about government budgets. This is the situation in Pennsylvania, where the state
Recent Blog Posts
NOVEMBER 17, 2011
End Transparency Exemption for Penn State
Penn State officials will soon be under a different kind of investigation—an investigation by taxpayers. In the aftermath of the child sexual abuse scandal, Rep. Eugene DePasquale is introducing a bill requiring full transparency from the state-related university.
Under the current Right-to-Know law, all state-related universities—Penn State, Temple, the University of Pittsburgh and Lincoln—are exempt from standard right-to-know requests. In other words, these universities receive taxpayer funds—over $500 million last year—but are under no obligation to reveal to taxpayers precisely how they spent these funds. The current law requires the universities to post their 990 tax forms, the salaries of officers and directors, and the highest 25 salaries annually, but these general documents provide little insight into universities' enormous spending. Nor do they give access to information that state agencies and local governments must provide to citizens.
The calls for transparency are not without reason: Obviously, the handling of the Sandusky scandal calls into question the judgment of the university leaders, but this isn't the first case of suspected foul play. Dr. Michael Mann, a meteorology professor at the university, has been accused of manipulating and destroying research to prove his theory on climate change. The university's resulting investigation proved a wash.
And consider the following facts that speak volumes about the university's fiscal management:
- Penn State has reduced early morning classes because they are unpopular with students and some faculty, while the university's strategic plan suggests facilities are being underutilized.
- Penn State increased administrative staff per student by 70.8 percent between 1993 and 2007. The University of Pittsburgh increased administrative staff by 54.7 percent, according to a Goldwater Institute study.
- Taxpayers provided nearly $3.5 billion to Penn State over the last decade while tuition doubled to $15,250.
- At Penn State's main campus, 58 percent of students graduate in four years. This compares with 11-45 percent at its 19 branch campuses, where enrollment has been declining.
It's time to open the books on Penn State.
posted by ELIZABETH STELLE | 10:33 AM | 0 comment
JUNE 30, 2011
Spending Transparency Coming to Pennsylvania at Last
Pennsylvania taxpayers are one step closer to finding out exactly how state government spends their money. Yesterday, the legislature passed HB 15 to establish PennWATCH—a free public spending database including all state revenues and expenditures, much like an online checkbook. Thanks to the leadership of Rep. Jim Christiana and Senate Majority Whip Pat Browne for the leadership on this issue over the last few years.
Pennsylvania now becomes the 37th state to pass spending transparency legislation. The spending portal will be housed in Office of Administration, and implementation—ensuring a user-friendly website that every Pennsylvanian can access—will be the next step to help taxpayers hold Harrisburg accountable.
By December 2012, the website will feature:
- Information on state expenditures, including
- Amount,
- Name and address of the agency or vendor receiving funds,
- The appropriation and the fiscal year the expenditure falls under,
- The funding source, including the name of authorizing agency;
- Monthly revenues from taxes and the federal government;
- Performance measures to be evaluated; and
- The names, titles and salaries of all state employees.
- Monthly pay, compensation benefits and bonuses of all employees will be added by January, 2013
By December 2014 the website will also include:
- A description of each appropriation, and
- Expected and achieved performance results.
posted by ELIZABETH STELLE | 03:15 PM | 0 comment
FEBRUARY 10, 2011
Podcast: Talking Transparency
In the latest The BOX podcast, Senior Fellow Jeff Coleman sits down with Representative Jim Christiana after the unanimous passage of his transparency legislation in the State House. Under PennWATCH (HB 15) citizens would have access to state government spending through a free, searchable, online database of state government spending. Pennsylvania has lagged behind the transparency movement, with 31 states already creating spending transparency websites.
Rep. Christiana explains the benefits of online transparency including savings and government accountability.
Establishing a searchable spending database is one of our 80 ideas for a prosperous Pennsylvania. Here's more info on transparency:
- Spending Transparency on the Fast Track in PA
- Making PA Budgets Honest
- Spending Transparency and Accountability Facts
- State Spending Transparency Testimony
posted by ELIZABETH STELLE | 05:35 PM | 0 comment
