A small step toward transparency
Transparency and accountability come in small steps where the state Legislature is concerned. The recent announcement that the state Senate soon will require all members to post their expenses online is a victory for the taxpayers who foot the bill. Now it’s time for members of the state House to make the same commitment to transparency in their spending.
Starting in September, state senators and their staffs will be required to post expenses — travel, meals, per diems, etc. — on a new webpage run by the Senate chief clerk who is the record-keeper and administrator for both the Democratic and Republican caucuses.
The push for online accessibility is being led by Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre, who said in a statement that “Pennsylvanians deserve to know how their tax dollars are spent, so opening the Senate’s books to the public eye is absolutely the right thing to do.”
An investigation by news outlets The Caucus and Spotlight PA into legislators’ spending found that few elected lawmakers voluntarily posted information about their expenses. The news outlets reported that only 11 of the 50 Senate members posted some financial information as of early May. In the 203-member House, the results were even more dismal: Only 18 lawmakers posted expense information online. And the information posted in both chambers often omitted some expenses.
Ironically, Mr. Corman’s own website offered little information about his spending, and The Caucus and Spotlight PA report found that, prior to May, the site hadn’t been updated in six years.
Still, when it comes to demanding transparency and accountability from the state’s elected lawmakers, we’ll take victories where we can find them, and this is certainly a move in the right direction.
Time will tell how understandable, accessible and user-friendly the database will be, especially in terms of search functions. Indeed, search functions are key. To be truly transparent, the webpage must be as easily searchable as possible.
House leaders have said they plan to review the Senate’s system and discuss changes with members when they return in the fall. This should be a priority for the House and one that should be accomplished quickly.
While the moves to be more open about legislative spending are welcome, the real commitment should come in the form of legislation requiring the posting of expenses. State Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-West View, proposed such a bill in the spring that did not advance.
She acknowledged the move in the Senate is at least a good first step, telling The Caucus and Spotlight PA: “It’s been a long time coming. It should not have been this difficult.”
We couldn’t agree more.