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For Immediate
Release
3/14/11
Folmer's Legislation Would Highlight
Contracts
Between Department of Education and State Intermediate Units
Harrisburg – Senator Mike Folmer today announced plans to introduce
legislation that would require the Department of Education to submit an annual
report to the General Assembly regarding contracts with the state's 29
Intermediate Units (IUs).
Specifically, Folmer's legislation would require a listing of all contracts
executed by the Department with each IU, including the total amount, duration,
and purpose of each contract; sources and funding amounts to cover the costs of
each contract; a listing of all employees, contractors, and agents covered by
the contracts, as well as the duties of each, and the remuneration provided by
the contracts; the process by which the respective IU was selected; and
evaluation criteria for measuring the effectiveness of each contract.
Folmer's legislation comes as a result of his two-year frustration with the
Rendell Administration's failure to make information available regarding
contractors, special assistants, and/or employees engaged by IUs at the
direction or request of the Department of Education. Department officials
informed Senator Folmer such information was not available.
Folmer made similar requests to each IU and learned there were at least 36
individuals working at the Department of Education who were contract employees
through various IUs.
"I was extremely disappointed in the Department of Education's lack of
openness, transparency, and accountability on information regarding state
contracts paid with taxpayer dollars," said Folmer. "Even more disheartening was
the fact that, as a state senator, I had to file right-to-know requests to
obtain information that should be readily available to the public. Education
spending encompasses nearly one-third of the state's $28 billion budget and I
believe Pennsylvania taxpayers have a right to know who is being hired, how much
they are being paid, and what services being provided."
Governor Corbett's Education Transition Team report noted, "It seems as
though it is common for employees to go back and forth between PDE and an IU.
It is not clear how frequently such moves occur, but our impression is that it
is not rare. We were told that certain persons working at PDE have their
salaries paid by the IUs. It is not clear exactly what is meant by this, but
we've been told that number may be over 200. In any event, the issue of
employees going back and forth between PDE and IUs, entities that are often
parties to contracts, should be reviewed."
Contact:
Beth A. Williams
717-787-5708
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