Wolf is criticizing the committee that organized last summer's Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia for using $1 million in leftover money for staff bonuses and donations. The committee, chaired by former Gov. Ed Rendell, carved almost $1 million out of that to pay bonuses for staff members - one as high as $310,000 - as well as give grants for Philadelphia schools and nonprofits, according to the Philly.com report. The bonuses were disclosed in a January 31 Federal Election Commission filing.
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Wolf said Sunday that the commonwealth supports large events that can benefit the region, but leftover funding should be returned to taxpayers. "The state, through the Department of Community and Economic Opportunity, granted the Host Committee $10 million to be used for very specific purposes. and the funds were spent accordingly".
Wolf will ask Pa. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale to review how taxpayers' $10 million was spent on the convention - though an earlier independent audit claims that the grant was spent in compliance with a contract between the state and the committee.
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"I want to makes sure taxpayers' money in this and every case is spent wisely and fairly and honestly", he said. The money was offered on top of employees' monthly salaries, which fell between $4,000 and $13,000, according to Philly.com. Ed Rendell, a former Pennsylvania governor and the chairman of the host committee, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that Washo's check included some back pay, along with a bonus.
Host Committee spokesperson Anna Adams-Sarthou said "we're confident in our accounting, and the fact that we spent the state money appropriately".
Adams-Sarthou said the DNC was not involved in the decision to grant the bonuses. It indicates that the state's $10 million was used to cover the venue license fee and construction costs in and around the Wells Fargo Center.
Wolf said perhaps the reporting requirements for state grants ought to be changed to require more details about how the money is spent but added that the state would have to approach that carefully so it wouldn't create a disincentive to companies that receive grants to grow or locate in Pennsylvania.
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