NEW CASTLE —
Whenever you hear of money being awarded to some organization, courtesy of a state lawmaker, keep this in mind:
The money involved isn’t the legislator’s, it’s yours. Those are state tax dollars being passed out, and we all know where they come from.
It’s hardly a secret that Pennsylvania is in a budget crunch. Dwindling tax revenues as a result of the recession have put the commonwealth into a deficit situation. Anticipated funds from various sources, including proposed tolls on I-80 and an influx of federal Medicaid money, haven’t panned out, making a bad situation even worse.
Yet despite trying times, lawmakers in Harrisburg aren’t shy about dipping into the public till to promote projects in their communities.
The money in question runs through a special program established by the Legislature to highlight the beneficence of lawmakers, something that theoretically reaps results come election time. That’s assuming voters don’t ask questions about the whole process.
What we’re referring to here is state funding for what traditionally has been called walking around money. A recent investigation by the Associated Press uncovered about $210 million in grant funds requested by lawmakers on behalf of constituents since 2008.
Recipients of this money are varied. The funds can go to assist volunteer fire departments, local park projects, community theater groups, athletic organizations and other presumably worthy causes.
It’s not necessarily that this money is wasted. To the contrary, we are sure that most of it is put to productive and positive use. But the question is: Why are these requests for government assistance run through legislative offices?
There are other state grant programs that are more formal in nature, with specific criteria for review. Supposedly there are rules and standards for these legislator-guided grants, but the process is not open.
And it’s difficult to get around the fact that these grants — ranging from $5,000 to $2 million — are arranged through a special pot of money the legislators establish for themselves. It smacks more of political gamesmanship than prudent public policy.
Lawmakers often justify walking around grants by claiming they are familiar with their districts and the needs of the communities within them. Perhaps, but doubts linger about the openness of the process, and whether it is appropriate to dole out state dollars in this fashion. Shouldn’t local projects be supported with local dollars if they are worthwhile?
Everyone complains about taxes. Well, here’s a blatant example of how tax dollars are directed in ways designed to benefit politicians. The Legislature needs to do away with walking around money in all its manifestations. And voters should insist on it.
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