CHAMBERSBURG – Chaired by State Senator Doug Mastriano (R-33), the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee conducted a hearing Friday on streamlining government at the Franklin County Visitors Bureau.
Legislation assigned to the committee – Senate Bill 1131 – would merge functions of the State Department with components of the Dept. of Community & Economic Development with the Dept. of Labor & Industry.
Citing a fragile economy, dwindling state revenues, and families that have cut costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mastriano encouraged state leaders to explore options to consolidate government.
“Government consolidation is popular lingo that we hear all the time, but we see very little action,” said Mastriano. “I am constantly hearing frustration by constituents regarding the inordinate size of our state government, and the bloated number of bureaucracies that we have in Pennsylvania.”
Panelists participating in the hearing included Franklin County Visitors Bureau Executive Director Janet Pollard; National Federation of Independent Businesses State Legislative Director Rebecca Oyler; Joint State Government Commission Executive Director Glenn Pasewicz; Downtown Chambersburg President Sam Thrush; Franklin County Area Development Corporation President Mike Ross; Adams Economic Alliance President Robin Fitzpatrick; and New Oxford Chamber of Commerce board member Chad Collie.
State Representative Frank Ryan (R-101), who partnered with Mastriano in introducing legislation to streamline government, participated remotely Friday.
“State government can eliminate redundancies, improve coordination and strengthen existing services, and send the message that Pennsylvania is open for business,” said Mastriano.
Mastriano’s committee passed eight bills during the 2019-2020 legislative session aimed at cutting red tape, reforming the state’s regulatory code and streamlining government.
The hearing was streamed live at https://intergovernmental.pasenategop.com/.
CONTACT: spitzer@pasen.gov.