In a break with recent history, Governor-elect Tom Wolf's transition will be paid for by private donations, not tax dollars.
A spokesman said Wolf will not take the $250,000 estimated by the state budget secretary to cover the costs of setting up offices for the changeover.
Instead, private donations will be accepted and disclosed on the Wolf's transition website by inauguration day, January 20. Late donations will be disclosed 30 days after the fact, said spokesman Jeff Sheridan.
"Governor-elect Wolf doesn't want to burden taxpayers with this process," said Sheridan, adding that the team isn't ready to disclose patrons' names yet.
Wolf spoke with reporters briefly Thursday after meeting with his transition's steering committee.
Transition Chair John Fry, president of Drexel University, said the next several weeks will be spent examining state agencies and getting a handle on the fiscal situation.
"We're going to have many hundreds of people involved," Fry said, adding that the entire team would be named in the next 10 days. Specialized committees will have to review each state agency and share their findings with Wolf by the time he takes office.
Some of Wolf's cabinet nominees could come from the transition team, if his administration is anything like those of Governor Tom Corbett and former Governor Ed Rendell.
Wolf said he isn't ready to name anyone to his cabinet yet, but he's not ruling out keeping some of Corbett's agency secretaries in their positions.
"It's certainly not off the table," said Wolf.
