PA’s Cash Reserve Is Still Pending
Tim Potts was asked to comment on the fact that Pennsylvania’s legislature has not yet revealed how much cash they have kept in reserves, which has lead many to question the amount and intended purpose of the funds. Potts noted “This is taxpayer money. We’re coming into a budget season where they’re cutting money to people with disabilities, they’re cutting a $100-millon out of accountability block grants to public schools, and yet they’re sitting on more money than they’re cutting. It’s just disgraceful.”
A committee responsible for revealing how much money is in the Pennsylvania Legislature’s cash reserve is now three months overdue in its report.
The financial audit typically is released in December, but a meeting of the Legislative Audit Advisory Commission last week was canceled by the chairman, Rep. Gordon Denlinger, because not enough appointees attended.
“At the core of the issue is a commission where, and I’m sorry to say this, we have appointees to it that are not taking their role as seriously as they should,” Denlinger said.
In December 2010, the commission reported the surplus was $189 million as of June 30 of that year, down from $201 million the prior year.
The reserve, in theory, allows the Legislature to continue running even if there’s a budget showdown with the governor, but critics question why lawmakers can hold on to such a large surplus while slashing the budgets of state agencies.
