The committee members questioned Auditor General Jack Wagner on a varety of topics including specific audits, his constitutional powers, how his office operates and any recommendations he had on broadening his authority to conduct audits. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story.
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Posted by Jeff Cox | Tags: Auditor General | Category: Budget Hearing, Senate Appropriations | Leave a comment | Share:
Auditor General Jack Wagner held a press conference today denouncing the use of interest-rate swaps by local governments. Wagner said, “interest-rate swaps have no place in local government and the General Assembly should put a stop to this immediately.” Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story. Posted by Jason Gottesman | Tags: Auditor General, fund, local governments, Press Conference | Category: Press Conference | Leave a comment | Share:
Responding to comments made by Governor Rendell following the release of a hard-hitting audit on contracts awarded to Deloitte Consulting LLP for computer-related services, Auditor General Jack Wagner today said there is a lack of competition in state government contracts that needs to be rectified, and pointed out that despite the governor’s explanation that the contracts are given in response to good work, nowhere in the Procurement Code is there language relating to “rewards.” General Wagner also faulted DGS for a lack of cooperation during the audit, and advised the administration can either change the way it operates “willfully,” or something will need to be done legislatively. Check the Capitol Toolbox for the full story. Posted by Mike Howells | Tags: ambulatory surgical centers, Auditor General, audits, corporate net income, DGS, tourism funding | Category: Administration, PLS Interview, Press Conference | Leave a comment | Share:
The Committee met to consider two bills. SB 900 was reported as amended while SR 142 was reported as committed. Both pieces of legislation deal with blight reclamation. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story. Posted by Mike Howells | Tags: Auditor General, Blight | Category: Committee Voting Meeting, Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure, Senate Urban Affairs and Housing | Comments are closed | Share:
Auditor General Jack Wagner on Tuesday touted his office’s record of using performance-based audits to ensure government meets taxpayer expectations, a process he says has led several state agencies to reevaluate how carefully they spend taxpayer dollars and improve the services they provide. Wagner also detailed two policy initiatives he would undertake if elected governor, helping to lay the groundwork for his expected gubernatorial campaign. After all, politics is why he spoke in the first place. His speech was part two of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce and CREDC’s Pennsylvania Perspectives series, a monthly talk held in the downtown Harrisburg Hilton that features potential gubernatorial candidates. Speaking before a group of about 100 local business leaders, Wagner said he appreciates business’ importance to Pennsylvania. He tries to bring that understanding to the auditor general’s office, he said. “I want all of you to know, I am very sensitive to business and its interaction with government,†Wagner said. The auditor general is the state’s fiscal watchdog, and Wagner said his office has already seen its investigations change the culture of some state agencies. In particular, he cited changes made in the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency after his office reported executives at the student-loan agency Continue reading Preparing for Possible Guv Run, Wagner Touts Record as AG Posted by Mike Howells | Tags: ambulatory surgical centers, Auditor General, DGS, elections | Category: Capitol View, LBFC, News and Views, Senate Environmental Resources and Energy | Comments are closed | Share:
Auditor General Jack Wagner said the employee training contract awarded by the PLCB to the husband of a PLCB regional manager was legal but they exercised bad judgement in awarding it. See the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story. Posted by Jeff Cox | Tags: ambulatory surgical centers, Auditor General, COLA, contracts, non-controlled substances, PLCB | Category: PLS Interview, Press Conference | Comments are closed | Share:
The committee held their annual budget hearing with the Auditor General this morning to discuss the proposed 6% budget cut to the department for this fiscal year, the use of money from the tobacco settlement fund, and their recommendations for the state’s medical assistance payment program. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story. Posted by Lindsay Andrews | Tags: ambulatory surgical centers, Auditor General, bleeding disorders, Budget | Category: Budget Hearing, House Agriculture & Rural Affairs, House Appropriations | Comments are closed | Share:
The Urban Affairs Committee met to consider SB 1291, relating to neighborhood blight. After brief discussion of the bill and companion bills, the committee unanimously adopted an amendment and sent the bill to the full Senate. Look for the complete story in the Capitol Toolbox later today. Posted by Kim Collins | Tags: Auditor General, Blight, chronic pain, conservatorship | Category: Committee Voting Meeting, Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure, Senate Urban Affairs and Housing | Leave a comment | Share:
The House Labor Relations committee met to consider HB 2445 (dealing with neighborhood blight). After some discussion surrounding the appropriateness of the Labor Relations committee to have this bill, an unsuccessful motion was made to recommend referring it to the House Urban Affairs Committee. Subsequently, an amendment was adopted removing portions of the bill dealing with sales and resales and conservatorships. The bill was then reported as amended. Check PLS later for a full report on the Committee meeting. Posted by Eric Failing | Tags: Auditor General, Blight | Category: Committee Voting Meeting, House Judiciary, House Labor Relations | Leave a comment | Share:
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee held a public hearing on SB 1291, the Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act. Sponsored by Senator Jim Rhoades (R-Schuylkill) , the bill includes chapters providing for actions against owners of blighted property, responsibilities of mortgage lenders, conservatorship, state and local government permit denials, state blight data collection system, grants, and sale of blighted and abandoned properties. Representatives from groups including the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, the PA Association of Realtors were on hand to testify… Check out the full story here. (Note: You must be a PLS subscriber to view the full story) Posted by Mike Howells | Tags: Auditor General, Blight | Category: Public/Informational Committee Hearing, Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure, Senate Urban Affairs and Housing | Leave a comment | Share:
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