- Senator Browne
- Senator Pippy

Committee Approves Taxpayer Transparency Act

Panel also endorses study of state’s business tax credit programs

On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee approved the Taxpayer Transparency Act bill and a resolution calling for a study of the impact of state business tax credit programs on Pennsylvania’s economy, job market and local tax revenues, according to Committee Chairman Senator Pat Browne (R-16).

Senate Bill 105, introduced by Senator Browne and commonly known as the Taxpayer Transparency Act, would direct the Office of Budget to create and maintain a searchable budget database-driven website that the public can access, for free, to obtain:

Information on grants and contracts provided by government agencies. All transactions above $25,000 would be accessible to the public;
Agency performance indicators and quarterly performance results compared to these indicators;
Agency line-by-line appropriation analysis including user-friendly detailed monetary breakouts and detailed narrative descriptions.

"My proposal is a follow-up to government reform measures already approved by the General Assembly and the rules adopted by the Senate. We have taken major steps to improve the way we disclose information to the residents of the Commonwealth. I feel that this legislation is another important and essential movement in that direction," Senator Browne said.

Senate Resolution 20, sponsored by Senator John Pippy (R-37 and Chairman of the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC)), directs the LBFC to conduct a study to determine the effect of the Commonwealth’s tax credit programs on Pennsylvania’s economy, job market, and state and local tax revenues. The study will include nearly 20 tax credits, including the Film Production Tax Credit, the Research and Development Tax Credit, the Job Creation Tax Credit and the Educational Improvement Tax Credit.

"These tax credit programs vary in size, scope and purpose, and it’s important that we take the time to review their effects," said Senator Pippy. "The purpose of the study is to determine the extent to which each has clearly defined goals and objectives, and whether the Commonwealth collects the information necessary to assess whether those goals and objectives are being achieved."

Contact:

Stacey Connors
(717) 787-1349