Report calls for sweeping changes in Harrisburg

The Grand Jury that spent two years listening to testimony about legislative corruption in Pennsylvania has issued a scathing report calling for sweeping changes in Harrisburg.

The grand jury that spent two years listening to testimony about legislative corruption in Pennsylvania has issued a scathing report calling for sweeping changes in Harrisburg.

The grand jury’s report charges the “overwhelming majority” of lawmakers with putting personal gains ahead of serving constituents.

The jurors say they’re “appalled” by the amount of staffers assigned to state representatives and senators.

The report quotes testimony from a former House Republican staffer who conducted a study that found only 289 of the 475 caucus staffers were actually needed to conduct legislative work.

That passage caught the eye of good government advocate Tim Potts, who runs Democracy Rising PA.

Potts:
That surprised me. I knew there were an awful lot of folks there who didn’t need to be there. But I didn’t know it was that extensive.

In addition to shrinking staff, the grand jury recommends routine independent audits of legislative spending, the elimination of the per diem payments lawmakers receive when they’re in Harrisburg, and legislative term limits.

The jurors also say Republican and Democratic caucuses should combine their printing, technology and HR staffs.