HARRISBURG – Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Bellefonte) announced a significant step forward in government transparency by making all Senate expenses available to the public online beginning on September 1.
Over the past several months, Corman has worked with Senate Chief Clerk Donetta D’Innocenzo to develop a new reporting system that will apply to all Senate expenses.
This includes all office leases, per diems, reimbursements for meals and lodging, supplies, mileage, office maintenance and much more. The information will be available on a new webpage, which will be updated monthly by the Chief Clerk and will apply to all Senate offices — Republican, Democrat, Independent and institutional.
When Corman was sworn in as Senate President Pro Tempore in January, one of the first priorities he outlined was stronger transparency in state government.
“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,” Corman said. “The online transparency tool that is in development now will help fulfill the promise of state government that is more open and accountable to the people it serves.”
The Senate’s new expense transparency system will build on existing good government measures in state government, including:
The state’s PennWATCH system, which includes information on employee salaries and compensation, state spending, revenues and more.
Information on contracts and purchases of $5,000 or more are available via the Pennsylvania Treasury Transparency Portal page – Contracts e-Library Database.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly website, which includes information on all roll call votes taken in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as upcoming committee meetings, operating rules, proposed amendments, and a live session feed.
Campaign finance reports and search tools from the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Original source can be found here.
