December 19, 2007

Hon. Edward G. Rendell, Governor

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

225 Main Capitol

Harrisburg, PA 17120

Dear Governor Rendell:

It is hard to escape the conclusion that Pennsylvania is facing a crisis of public integrity. Event after event in the past few years, as well as impending indictments from the Attorney General’s investigation into the Bonusgate scandal, reveal a system of laws and Constitutional provisions that foster misconduct and erode public confidence. These events also expose a governing system in which key officials have no respect for the rule of law and have no fear of accountability.

As governor, you have acknowledged some of these problems and advanced the need for solutions. Among the issues you have brought to public attention are re-apportionment, open records and campaign finance reform.

Yet at the end of a year that was heralded as the year of reform in state government:

Our re-apportionment process, which in 2001 produced the second most gerrymandered legislative districts in America, is unchanged.

Pennsylvania’s open records law remains the third worst in America.

Our campaign finance law is one of the weakest in America.

Lame-duck session remains a possibility, contrary to the desire of 82% of our citizens to end it.

“Gut-and-replace” legislation is still permitted and practiced.

Tens of thousands of citizens are disenfranchised in elections by being unable to vote in primaries, even for non-partisan offices.

Our lobbying control law is weak and does not achieve the standards of integrity that citizens want.

We, like most citizens, believe that something extraordinary – and extraordinarily positive – is needed to focus both public and official attention on these and other matters of public integrity. More than a year ago, Common Cause/Pennsylvania asked you to convene the General Assembly for a special session devoted exclusively to government integrity issues. By this letter, the coalition of organizations working to improve state government again urges you to convene a Special Session on Public Integrity in January of 2008.

Enclosed is the consensus agenda that we ask you to announce. No doubt there are other subjects that you and legislators may want to add. However, we believe this agenda represents an excellent starting point.

We know you appreciate how remarkable it is for a coalition with such diverse perspectives on substantive public policy to join forces, as we have for the past three years, to work for improvements in the way state government conducts the people’s business. We hope this demonstration of common urgency, combined with the well-documented need for improvement, will give you confidence that the time is right for a Special Session on Public Integrity.

We ask you to let us know your views before January 14 so that we can prepare either for the special session or for other ways to advance our common agenda in 2008. We will forego any public statements about this proposal until then.

Thank you for your consideration. If you wish, we will be pleased to meet with you to discuss this proposal.

Sincerely,

Tim Potts, Co-Founder                                            

Democracy Rising PA, and on behalf of the following organization leaders, all of whom authorized their names to appear on this letter and the enclosed agenda.

Barry Kauffman                     Eric Epstein                           Matthew J. Brouillette          

Common Cause of PA           Rock the Capital                     Commonwealth Foundation

Chris Lilik                               Russ Diamond                      Dennis Baylor           

Young Conservatives of PA   PA Clean Sweep                     PA Accountability Project

Rev. Sandra L. Strauss        Gene Stilp                              Dick Schirato

PA Council of Churches         Taxpayers & Ratepayers       Citizens for Legislator

United                                      Accountability

Andrea Mulrine, President

League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania