Monday, July 19, 2010

Rendell's Pork-Laden Politics at the Independence Visitor Center

In response to the Harrisburg Patriot-News July 13, 2010, editorial titled, "Pork barrel rolls right to Philadelphia":

Governor Rendell's new Pennsylvania State budget is packed with so much pork for Rendell's pet appropriations under the guise of the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. For example, when Pennsylvania is hemorrhaging cash, raising taxes and cutting services, Rendell has appropriated $5 million for the Independence Visitor Center in Philadelphia. This appropriation seems particularly bizarre given that this building, which is federally owned and funded, just opened in 2001.

Cronyism is commonplace with the Independence Visitor Center Corporation (IVCC), which operates the Independence Visitor Center in a clandestine manner better suited to the CIA than to a visitor center. In addition to the IVCC Board being chaired by Rendell’s former chief of staff, Rendell appoints a “Governor’s Representative” to the IVCC Board. However, the Governor’s office has denied Right to Know Law requests for further information on Rendell's role with the IVCC's Board. Additionally, Philadelphia’s Mayor Nutter himself serves on the IVCC’s Board. The City of Philadelphia has denied similar record requests for Mayor Nutter's involvement with the IVCC Board, and now both the City and IVCC have actually sued to block the release of information as ordered in a legally binding Final Determination by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.

Governor Rendell must insist that in exchange for $5 million to the Independence Visitor Center, the IVCC's Board must change to abide by both the Sunshine Act and the Right to Know Law. Alternatively, Rendell should compel his representative's resignation from the IVCC Board and yank the $5 million in funding.