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No one expects the governor of Pennsylvania to live in a house filled with Ikea furniture that he had to assemble himself.
And we understand that some updates had to be made after the Governor's Residence went unoccupied during the eight years Democrat Tom Wolf was in office and commuted to Harrisburg from his York County home.
We don't begrudge anyone new toilets and fresh bedding. But did Pennsylvania taxpayers really need to foot the bill for a $4,600 king-size mattress and a $4,500 "power-reclining" sectional sofa with heat and massage features? We know that watching the Philadelphia Eagles, the governor's hometown team, has been stress-inducing of late, but somehow we manage to do it without a massaging couch. Perhaps the 75-inch TV and five 65-inch TVs that cost taxpayers a total of about $6,600 weren't such a good idea. Who needs to watch the Birds' defense collapse in high definition?
A $170 coffee maker isn't that surprising, but an $884 immersion blender with attachments? Two under-the-counter refrigerators for $7,007? Also, $5,626 for glass plates? And $2,000 for guest hand towels?
Referring generally to the items detailed in the documents obtained by LNP ' LancasterOnline, Shapiro spokesperson Bonder said the "purchases can kind of speak for themselves."
And they do.
It's what they're saying that concerns us.
While no one expects the governor to live in Harrisburg without creature comforts, we agree with Eric Epstein, coordinator at government watchdog group Rock the Capital, who said the mansion upgrades were "a missed opportunity to exercise fiscal restraint."
As LNP ' LancasterOnline's White reported, "Bonder blamed inflation for the higher total spending for furniture, electronics, bedding and other items for the mansion under Shapiro when compared to past governors."
That message -- it's inflation's fault! -- clearly wasn't approved by Joe Biden's presidential campaign.
More than the actual spending, it's the secrecy surrounding that spending that perturbs us.
As White noted, David Moyer was eager to share the news that his store, Benjamin T. Moyer Furniture in Sunbury, had supplied the Governor's Residence with maple armchairs and a matching table, an accent table with two wing chairs, a writing desk with an inlay top, as well as six Adirondack chairs. The total price: $16,000.
And we understand that some updates had to be made after the Governor's Residence went unoccupied during the eight years Democrat Tom Wolf was in office and commuted to Harrisburg from his York County home.
We don't begrudge anyone new toilets and fresh bedding. But did Pennsylvania taxpayers really need to foot the bill for a $4,600 king-size mattress and a $4,500 "power-reclining" sectional sofa with heat and massage features? We know that watching the Philadelphia Eagles, the governor's hometown team, has been stress-inducing of late, but somehow we manage to do it without a massaging couch. Perhaps the 75-inch TV and five 65-inch TVs that cost taxpayers a total of about $6,600 weren't such a good idea. Who needs to watch the Birds' defense collapse in high definition?
A $170 coffee maker isn't that surprising, but an $884 immersion blender with attachments? Two under-the-counter refrigerators for $7,007? Also, $5,626 for glass plates? And $2,000 for guest hand towels?
Referring generally to the items detailed in the documents obtained by LNP/LancasterOnline, Shapiro spokesperson Bonder said the "purchases can kind of speak for themselves."
And they do.
It's what they're saying that concerns us.
While no one expects the governor to live in Harrisburg without creature comforts, we agree with Eric Epstein, coordinator at government watchdog group Rock the Capital, who said the mansion upgrades were "a missed opportunity to exercise fiscal restraint."
More than the actual spending, it's the secrecy surrounding that spending that perturbs us.
-- LNP/LancasterOnline