PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW: …The purpose of the [Legislative Audit Advisory Commission] is to protect the Legislature’s slush fund, now at $183.6 million.
That’s enough to plug some of the budget cuts some groups are protesting daily at the Capitol. It’s a slush fund, rather than a surplus, which they like to call it, because during the 2005 pay-raise fiasco, lawmakers were authorized to collect the raise early, in contravention of the state Constitution. This account was the source of the money.
Legislative leaders agreed previously to return $62.7 million to the treasury, which hasn’t happened yet. When it does, the surplus will be “down” to $121 million, still enough to operate a small state agency… (more)
