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Good Government Group to Dissolve at Year’s End

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After eight years of fighting for state government reforms, Democracy Rising PA will call it quits at the end of the year.  Co-founder Tim Potts tells Radio PA they simply cannot raise enough money to keep going.  “I’m not sure exactly why that is,” Potts explains.  “I think though that there is some scandal fatigue… and I think a lot of people are tired of having the focus on corruption and mismanagement and all the rest.” 

When it formed in 2004, Democracy Rising was the only group pushing for a constitutional convention.  Pennsylvania hasn’t had one since 1967, but Potts says it’s just a matter of time. 

While Democracy Rising could not ultimately push the state toward a convention, Potts says the group has witnessed numerous good government victories over the years.  He cites first-ever lobbyist disclosure laws, an overhauled open records law and the governor’s elimination of WAMs, among other things. 

In 2013 Potts will focus his efforts on a new endeavor called The Majority Party PA, which seeks to set policy priorities based on the will of the people.  A host of government reform issues have already made it onto the agenda… including the constitutional convention that eluded Democracy Rising PA.

Special Elections Pending in State House

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A pair of Democrats won higher office, earlier this month, while simultaneously being reelected to their state House seats.  Allegheny County’s Matt Smith is moving across the capitol to the Senate, while York County’s Eugene DePasquale will set up shop in the nearby Finance Building as the state’s next Auditor General. 

The development will leave two vacancies in the GOP-controlled chamber when the 2013-2014 session gets underway in January, but DePasquale says the transition has not affected the work of his legislative office.  “We were being pretty adamant and keeping up with that stuff even during the campaign,” DePasquale explains.  “We don’t have much of a backlog here.  I mean certainly there’s some work that needs to get done, and we’re going to make sure it gets done.” 

There’s no word yet on when the special elections may be scheduled. 

DePasquale, who will tender his resignation in the House just before he’s sworn-in as Auditor General on January 15th, broke new ground by taking the Majority Party PA’s public service pledge during the campaign season.  “It commits them to using their position of leadership in service to the priorities of the majority of the Pennsylvania voters, as determined by scientific public opinion research,” says Majority Party PA chairman Tim Potts. 

Two other newly reelected state Reps also took Potts’ pledge: Scott Conklin (D-Centre) and Mario Scavello (R-Monroe). 

While critics dismiss the idea of a pollster setting the agenda for the state, Potts tells Radio PA somebody has to represent the public if we’re going to have a representative democracy.  He says nothing is added to their agenda until the public opinion is settled.