The Hand In The Cookie Jar

Before pstupidonymous closed, I blogged quite a bit about Pennsylvania's legislature's shenanigans.

You might recall that they gave themselves a 16 to 34% pay raise, attempted to take the raise before re-election (unconstitutionally), stuck with it for months of voter rage, and then bravely repealed it. Oh, and a Supreme Court Justice lost a retention election as part of the angst.

Anyway, because that pay raise was just too big, a lot of people are looking into other legislative activities.

Like this one.

A Team 4 investigation by Jim Parsons finds that Pennsylvania taxpayers have spent more than $2 million since 2002 on the use of two state passenger planes.

You knew state lawmakers gave themselves a pay raise. But Team 4 has learned some of them are flying around in the official state plane -- sometimes to go to resorts, and sometimes to fly home for the weekend.

Parsons: "Why do you fly on the state planes?"

House Minority Leader Bill DeWeese: "I think, notwithstanding the fact that you're a perfect gentleman, the question borders on vacuity."

We have two planes? Our state is not that big (Harrisburg is kind of centrally located)... and can't we contract the air services of say US Air, who's hub is in Philly (also was Pittsburgh)? They fly to nearly every airport in the state.

It's not like trains from Pittsburgh or Philadelphia aren't available either.

What a waste of money. Nevermind the abuse vacations and commuting, for which they also get $600/monthly for a car lease and a per diem travel expense.

But Alex, it's only two million dollars. Yes. But it's another symptom of the problem.

Rs and Ds in Harrisburg just don't care anymore. They're in. That's all that matters to them... and the power that position gives them.

Posted by AlexC at November 30, 2005 3:03 PM