HARRISBURG – In recognition of Sunshine Week, a national initiative dedicated to promoting transparency in government, York County Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill has introduced legislation to pull back the curtain on taxpayer-funded spending. She says state, county, and local governments, as well as school districts, are required to post public and legal advertising in newspapers, which comes at a rising cost to taxpayers. Under Senate Bill 451, newspapers would disclose in the corner of the ads the cost incurred by the local governmental entity to publish the mandated advertising. Based on a 2006 survey conducted by the state’s bipartisan Local Government Commission, the costs exceeded $18 million. Adjusting for inflation, today’s cost to taxpayers surpasses $28 million in annual mandatory advertising. The bill is before the PA Senate State Government Committee for consideration.
SEN. KRISTIN PHILLIPS-HILL