Shapiro’s Super Bowl trip was paid for by nonprofit
Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and first lady Lori Shapiro’s trip to Arizona to cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl was at no expense to taxpayers, Shapiro’s office said.
Press secretary Manuel Bonder said the trip was paid for in a partnership with the Team PA Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to promoting public-private partnerships for Pennsylvania’s economic growth.
“The governor was proud to attend the Super Bowl as an ambassador for all Pennsylvania has to offer and to cheer on the Eagles alongside several other governors. As has been the case in previous administrations, no taxpayer money was spent on the trip thanks to a partnership with the Team PA foundation,” Bonder said in a statement.
Shapiro’s office declined to reveal the specifics of his travel, including whether Shapiro flew on a commercial or private aircraft, citing security protocols.
Team PA was founded in 1997 when former Gov. Tom Ridge and members of his cabinet approached business leaders to discuss a public-private partnership for a more prosperous future for Pennsylvania. The group’s leadership is composed of business and state government leaders, with the governor serving as a co-chair of its board of directors.
Shapiro serves as Team PA’s co-chair, with McNees Wallace and Nurick Chair Brian Jackson.
Team PA President and CEO Abby Smith said the foundation has a fund specifically for raising the profile of the governor that is supported by private donations.
The organization focuses its work on “high-growth” economic opportunities, including agriculture, digital, energy and manufacturing, according to its website. It also serves as a fiduciary agent for projects and commissions such as the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the fund to preserve the governor’s residence.
Team PA’s June 2022 financial report lists $11.5 million in assets and more than $2.7 million in revenue, including nearly $1.5 million in state Department of Community and Economic Development grants, and $232,260 from the New American Development Fund, a low-interest business-loan program administered by DCED.