With no money for ANYTHING in this state, legislature still comes up with $100Million for the WAMs!

[demodonkey]

Editorial: Taking care of No. 1

The budget deal in Harrisburg will cut funding for libraries, social services, and education, but legislators plan to keep plenty of taxpayers' money for their own special "needs."

Budget negotiators have set aside at least $100 million for what's known as "walking-around money." WAMs are discretionary grants that individual lawmakers hand out to favored groups in their home districts with little justification and no accountability.

WAMs are also a great way for incumbents to help ensure their reelection. It's no coincidence that legislative leaders have made this honeypot available now - all 203 House seats and half of the 50 Senate seats are up for election next fall.

MORE AT LINK.....

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20090923_Editorial__Taking_care_of_No__1.html

[old mark]

1. Rec. Thanks for this post. As a Pennsylvanian, I am always disgusted with

our state legislature, the MOST CORRUPT political body in the USA, even outdoing the US Congress for sheer greed and the balls to steal publicly. These sociopathic trash should be voted out of office in the next election, but I doubt it will make much difference if they were - the institution is dseigned around corruption and the members becoming rich at public expense. Besides, I am sure they all could retire immediately on the money they made when they legalized casino gambling and began to award the casino contracts.

mark

[PADEMJES12]

2. Thanks for the post demodonkey...

So "wam" is the campaign handout. Does anyone know if their is a list or criteria anywhere that details the rules for these accounts. (i ask that... knowing these are probably "flexible".

Yes the casino money was supposed to go to property taxes... and then they (reps) all come in and screw up that plan.

[JPZenger]

3. Lobbyists Got the Budget Before Legislators

A legislator confirmed yesterday that the budget includes the $100 million for WAMs. It gives a chance for legislators to be photographed giving away giant checks to elderly veterans groups. The leadership also controls the allotment of WAMs, and gives the dollars out to people who don't cause trouble for them.

I also found out yesterday that some lobbyists received copies of the proposed final budget before many of the legislators were able to see a copy.

Moreover, today's Allentown Morning Call has an article saying that the budget will probably cut a tax credit program that encourages private corporations to donate towards primary and secondary education, including scholarships for low income kids to attend Catholic Schools. Many Catholic Schools in PA are on the verge of closing because people can't afford the tuition. If more shut down, it will greatly increase public school costs.

[Yellow Horse]

4. This is true... party leadership uses the WAMs to ensure compliance by members...

...if you are a member of the legislature and buck the party leadership's wishes, you get less WAMs or none at all to hand out. No WAMs handed out by you = harder or impossible for you to get re-elected. So the WAMs are a sort of control method of keeping everyone in line.

One answer is election reform and campaign finance reform, but how do citizens get it passed with the foxes guarding the henhouses?