Gov. Tom Wolf is opening his cabinet’s expense books up to the public. Department heads and select top aides have put their fuel costs, car leases, hotel bills and other expenses online.
Spokesman Jeffrey Sheridan said this is the first governor’s administration in Pennsylvania to share its expenses.
“The governor is very much committed to restoring the public’s trust in government,” said Sheridan. He said the expenses will probably be updated on a monthly basis.
The governor’s acting banking secretary, Robin Wiessman, has disclosed the greatest expenses, with more than $3,328 spent, most of it on hotel and vehicle costs. Wiessman is followed by Katie McGinty, the governor’s chief of staff, who has disclosed about $2,928 in costs, mostly for her state vehicle lease, gas, and hotel.
The governor’s security detail’s expenses are not being posted online. Sheridan said Wolf has no expenses to post himself because he isn’t being reimbursed for anything.
“Last week we were on the way back from the Lehigh Valley to Bucks County and we stopped at a Burger King, and he paid out of pocket for his meal,” Sheridan said.
The governor’s office sees the move as “another step” to increase transparency, following on decisions to ban the administration from taking gifts, share Wolf’s weekly public calendar at the conclusion of the workweek, and change how the commonwealth contracts with outside legal firms.
