Apr. 19, 2021
HARRISBURG – Continuing its commitment to more transparency in state government, the House today unanimously approved legislation by Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) to make the Treasury Department’s Transparency Portal a permanent fixture.
“It is vital for taxpayers to know how every cent they send to the state is appropriated. Oversight through the public eye is the best way to protect taxpayers’ dollars from being misspent,” Grove said. “
House Bill 48 would guarantee the public can view the state’s spending habits through the existing Transparency Portal.”
The portal was created under former State Treasurer Joe Torsella but there is nothing in the statutes to protect it from being discontinued in the future. Grove’s bill would ensure the portal is available to the public for decades to come.
In addition to codifying the program so it’s available to taxpayers for decades to come, the portal would also be enhanced to provide more transparency to the public. Specifically, the portal would include an analysis of the General Fund, as well as daily updated revenue and expenditures, short- and long-term investments by the Treasury, an analysis of appropriations for Commonwealth programs and other data.
“The public deserves to have the power of knowing how their tax dollars are being spent. This sort of information shouldn’t be tucked away. Rather, it should be readily and easily available to the public,” Grove said.
House Bill 48 is now in the Senate for consideration.
Representative Seth Grove
196th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
RepGrove.com /
Facebook.com/RepSethGrove