Newspaper: Business as usual in our dysfunctional state government

The Pottstown Mercury recaps the recent reform recommendations made a grand jury, but is not very optimistic that anything will change in Harrisburg under the present leadership.

From the editorial:

"This grand jury concludes, without any hesitation, that the current operational structure and ingrained procedures of the Pennsylvania House Democratic and Republican caucuses are irretrievably broken and in desperate need of systemic change."

Indeed.

The findings released last week of a grand jury investigation into the Bonusgate legislative corruption scandal echoed the sentiments of many editorial writers and government observers in Pennsylvania. The system of governance in this commonwealth is in dire need of overhaul.

Pottstown tri-county area residents are fed up with the overspending, inefficiencies and waste in the Pennsylvania Legislature. They are fed up because these failures result in a heavy tax burden that serves the legislators more than it serves their constituents.

So, what's next?

Spokesmen for the caucuses in Harrisburg told the Associated Press that the report was being reviewed but declined further comment.

In other words, business as usual in our dysfunctional state government.

Read the full editorial, "State grand jury calls for radical legislative change," at the newspaper's Web site.