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LETTER TO THE EDITOR |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Michael
J. Herzing |
State Rep. Barbara
McIlvaine Smith |
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ATTENTION EDITOR/EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR: Please consider the following letter to the editor for publication. For confirmation, please contact Michael Herzing as indicated above.
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Aug. 27, 2007
Editor:
The latest news that executives at the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency will collect exorbitant bonuses again this year, on top of their already-generous wages, is troubling to say the least.
This is an issue that I have addressed before. Giving out huge bonuses to executives of a public agency funded at least in part by tax dollars is not appropriate on its face. In the case of PHEAA, however, it is even more appalling considering the recent performance of the agency – its assets have been declining while its expenses have been growing -- and that it is the subject of unprecedented scrutiny for its lavish and inappropriate expenditures.
Pennsylvania students are finding it more difficult every year to fund a college education. Making as much financial assistance as possible available to state residents – and not enriching themselves – should be the priority of PHEAA officials. This year’s bonus alone for Dick Willey, who runs PHEAA, could send 34 students to a State System university tuition-free.
The people of Pennsylvania are fed up with this kind of behavior in state government. The legislature is ending its past practice of giving bonuses to public employees; PHEAA should do the same.
When I ran for state representative, I promised to make reform of state government a top priority. That reform must be system-wide. I will be asking my fellow legislators to hold hearings on PHEAA and to take legislative action that results in meaningful reforms to the agency’s board, its operations and the actions of its executives.
Sincerely,
Barbara McIlvaine Smith
State Representative
156th Legislative District