April 7th, 2009
Says a press release from House Republican Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson):
Saying Pennsylvania government is at a crossroads and suggesting Harrisburg should change direction in how government operates, House Republican Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson County) today unveiled the House Republican plan to help put state government on the right path: Pennsylvania’s Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg, or PATH.
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Through headlines, news stories, TV’s “investigative reports,” and the actions of several elected individuals and groups, Pennsylvanians have lost trust in much of government according to Smith. Smith acknowledged much of the public’s cynicism began with the “Pay Raise,” but he also cited recent convictions, guilty pleas and criminal charges of corruption, pay-to-play, giving cronies good-paying government jobs, and awarding political contributors with lucrative contracts as the main reason for the continuing level of distrust.
The specific proposals included in Pennsylvania’s Agenda for Trust in Harrisburg are:
- No staff allowed. Staff cannot campaign for the organization for which they work during scheduled work-day hours. Using government-owned equipment would remain illegal, day or night.
- No Start-ups. Public officials cannot start nonprofit organizations while in office.
- Dollar 1 Reporting of campaign contributions, lobby disclosure and ethics statements; no limits or bans, just reporting each and every dollar within two weeks. The Department of State would create and maintain the cross-relational database making the information easily accessible and understandable to Pennsylvania residents.
- State Grant Accountability. Fully enforce strict procedures for pre- and post-grant audits and strengthen parameters for public dollar usage. The state will create, maintain and update a database of grants – including recipients, purpose and status reports.
- Increase Public Accessibility. The state would create a searchable database for all state spending.
- General Assembly audits by independent auditors chosen through an RFP with the lowest responsible bidder getting the work. The audits would be available for public review.
- Strengthening whistleblower protections for all state employees in all three branches of government. A fully independent Office of Inspector General (taking the place of the current Inspector General’s office) will be available to the public and employees of all branches and levels of government.
- End Pay-to-Play mentality in Pennsylvania by enacting state contracting reform:
a) Emergency Contract Review – A newly created Board of Emergency Review (consisting of the Governor, Treasurer and Attorney General) must unanimously concur an emergency exists for the contract (a phone call can be utilized in case of an Emergency Declaration). Prior to entering into an emergency contract, the agency must provide a written explanation of reasons warranting an emergency contract and the specific services to be contracted for and the anticipated cost of the contract; the statement shall be delivered to the four caucuses, the treasurer, auditor general, attorney general and governor.
b) Public review of contracts. Proposed contracts must be available for public inspection for at least 10 days prior to agreement being executed (except for Board of Emergency Review contracts).
c) All Commonwealth agencies shall adhere to the state Procurement Code.
d) Ban government contracts from campaign contributors. No government contract can be awarded to a person, partnership or corporation that donated to the campaign of the state official responsible for awarding the contract within one year of the date a contract is posted for public bidding.
e) No lobby firms allowed. Firms registered as “lobbying firms” are disqualified from receiving General Assembly or governor’s office consulting contracts (does not include legal services contracts).
- End lobbying relationships. No public official shall receive compensation from a firm registered as a “Lobbying Firm.”
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Read the rest of PATH’s proposals and more from Rep. Smith.
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