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For Immediate
Release
6/26/08
Folmer's
Reform Agenda Advances
HARRISBURG – Two key pieces of Sen. Mike
Folmer's (R-Lebanon) reform agenda advanced through the legislative process
today.
The Taxpayer-Funded Advertising Transparency Act (Senate
Bill 1015) was unanimously approved by the Senate and moved to the House for
consideration. The legislation requires all paid advertising by state government
to bear the following disclaimer: "Paid for with Pennsylvania taxpayer
dollars." It is estimated that state government annually spends tens of
millions of taxpayer dollars advertising itself, a practice which Folmer said
needs more accountability and transparency.
The Senate State Government Committee also unanimously approved
Folmer's legislation (SB
1499) reining in the use of state vehicles. Only state employees who drive
more than 1,200 miles a month (excluding personal usage) would be eligible to
use a state-owned car. Additionally, employees granted the privilege of using a
state-owned vehicle would be required to maintain a detailed monthly mileage
log, and those logs would have to be posted on the Department of General
Service's web site and accessible to the general public and news media (with
undercover law enforcement agents being excluded from this requirement). Folmer
noted that many state agencies are lacking in accountability standards for the
use of state vehicles by their employees. One state employee confided in Folmer
that the state agency for which he works insisted he use a car against his
preference to drive his personal vehicle.
"We're moving reform forward one step at a time," Folmer said.
Other reforms initiated by Folmer include: a Citizens Constitutional Convention
(SB 1290), the "Tax Me More" Fund for those who believe they are under-taxed,
and "Healthy Pennsylvania" (SB 1181-1196), a consumer-oriented alternative to
Gov. Rendell's Rx for Pennsylvania.
Contact:
Joe Sterns
717-787-5708
(Cell) 717-497-0806
Additional Information:
Reforming
Government
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