Expenses online

Wolf strikes a blow for government transparency

In February, Gov. Tom Wolf told members of his Cabinet to find ways to reduce expenses. On Thursday, he gave them more motivation to do so, putting all of their expenses online in an easy-to-read bar graph. It’s a smart move that ensures Cabinet members will think carefully before ordering a meal or booking a flight, and it helps to fulfill Mr. Wolf’s promise to govern transparently.

The chart, available at the governor’s website, reveals what 23 Cabinet members have spent in areas such as meals, tolls, mileage and hotels. As of Friday, Robin Wiessmann, secretary of the Department of Banking and Securities, had spent the most on travel, followed by the governor’s chief of staff, Katie McGinty. State Police Commissioner Marcus Brown’s only expense is a car lease. Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel has spent the most on meals.

For some, it’ll be a fun time-waster on par with watching kittens on YouTube, but the database serves a serious purpose — letting people easily see how government spends their money. Information is searchable by month, department, name and type of expenses. Its accessibility allows anyone with a computer to be a government watchdog. If something isn’t right, people will notice.

We applaud Mr. Wolf for transparency in this area. Now, Governor, how about preserving access to those state employee emails?