Local lawmaker clashes with councilman after LSA discussion
Following a meeting during which state Rep. Bud Cook talked to local elected officials about transparency in how Local Share Account funding is doled out, he got into a heated discussion with a Charleroi councilman.
鈥淵ou know 鈥� the DCED (state Department of Community and Economic Development) audits this stuff every year,鈥� Mark Alterici told Cook.
Cook made news recently, pressing for increased oversight about how LSA money 鈥� which comes from casinos 鈥� is given out in the counties that receive it. Both Fayette and Washington counties get gaming revenue that is distributed to community projects. On Tuesday, Cook appeared at a Twilight council meeting, one of several stops he said he intends to make to educate local leaders about his concerns over which projects get funding, who鈥檚 deciding that and how it鈥檚 being decided.
Cook said the process needs to be 鈥渇air, transparent and accountable at all levels of government,鈥� and expressed particular concern about whether Washington County handles it fairly.
Alterici, who also serves as the chair of the Washington County Tourism Agency鈥檚 board of directors, pressed Cook about why he didn鈥檛 answer a question posed to him about whether the DCED audits LSA committees and the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.
鈥淵ou talk about transparency, but why didn鈥檛 you answer that question?鈥� Alterici asked.
Cook told Alterici he didn鈥檛 answer the question about DCED audits 鈥渂ecause I didn鈥檛 receive the right-to-know (answer) from DCED yet.鈥�
The lawmaker said he鈥檚 filed right-to-know requests with the DCED and Washington County Redevelopment Authority to dig deeper into records that were kept by the county鈥檚 LSA Committee, which decides to whom and how the funds are distributed. He said he did so because he is concerned there is a conflict of interest between those who hand out the funds and those who are receiving them.
During the meeting, Cook noted that Jeff Kotula has served as chairman of Washington County鈥檚 LSA Review Committee, as well as president of the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency and the Washington County Chamber of Commerce鈥搉onprofit organizations that also receive LSA funding.
Outside of the meeting, Alterici challenged Cook鈥檚 concerns about Kotula.
鈥淗ave you ever picked up the phone and asked Jeff how this works?鈥� asked Alterici. 鈥淔or whatever reason, I think you have an ax to grind with Jeff. You don鈥檛 like him personally.鈥�
鈥淲hatever you want to believe, you go ahead and believe,鈥� said Cook.
Cook said he would rather be spending his time enacting legislation and meeting with constituents than looking at how LSA funds are distributed.
鈥淚 just want to make sure the process is transparent and that every municipality gets their fair share,鈥� said Cook. 鈥淎 small municipality like Twilight might only be getting $5,000 in LSA money. But that鈥檚 $5,000 that can be used for a road or another important project.鈥�
He is seeking co-sponsors for legislation that would require LSA revenue to be distributed directly to Washington County school districts for the sole purpose of achieving additional property tax relief for homeowners.
鈥淚f we don鈥檛 establish this kind of reform, there will still be major concerns about conflicts of interest, as well as special interest earmarking of funds or insider deliberation of projects in advance of the grant presentations,鈥� said Cook, who called for the LSA Review Committee to maintain and provide records of voting decisions, minutes and correspondence.
He additionally wants to set term limits for committee members, require them to complete an ethics statement regarding potential conflicts of interest and has asked the state auditor general to look into the matter.
Cook said he doesn鈥檛 want to do away with LSA funding 鈥� he just believes that it鈥檚 important to know the process undertaken to distribute it.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a game of connecting the dots and following the money. I鈥檓 not here to condemn or blame. I鈥檓 just questioning why there isn鈥檛 more transparency and accountability,鈥� he said.