LSA records fight continues in court

By Christine Haines

chaines@yourmvi.com

Neither state Rep. Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run Township, nor the Washington County Redevelopment Authority is backing down when it comes to an open records request Cook has made.

Cook has asked for the records from 443 projects funded by the Washington County Local Share Account — funding from the Meadows Casino that is overseen by the Washington County Redevelopment Authority. The records cover an 11-year period starting in 2008.

“This has been dragging out since my third month in office,” Cook said.

Cook is seeking his third term in office this November and says he will introduce legislation to change the way LSA funding is handled across the state if he is re-elected. He said each of the counties that hosts one of the 11 casinos in Pennsylvania handles the distribution of the LSA funding differently.

“It was never about the LSA grants; it was about the process,” Cook said.

He wants the records to be released to provide full transparency into how the money is spent. Cook says he has only received ledger information without details regarding who received what, without details explaining how the money was spent.

The state Office of Open Records has ruled that Cook is entitled to the requested records. The Washington County Redevelopment Authority appealed that ruling and Washington County Common Pleas President Judge Katherine B. Emery heard arguments in the appeal last week. She is expected to issue a ruling within the next few weeks.

“The arguments are that it’s going to cost the taxpayers a whole lot of money and a whole lot of effort,” said  William McGowen, executive director of the Redevelopment Authority. “We’ve allowed him access to all of the record and he can go through it and he can make copies of whatever he wants. We’re not holding anything back at all. We’re just saying there’s a better way to do it.”

“That’s not what the law requires,” Cook said. “I represent roughly 60,000 people. Produce the documents, period. Stop making excuses.”

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