Over the next year, Pennsylvania taxpayers who are suspicious about the workings of their state government will be interested in seeing how the four legislative caucuses — two each in the House and Senate — spend the $360 million that the new state budget allots to them.

For now, secrecy is the name of the game for lawmakers who routinely campaign on how they will work on behalf of their constituents' best interests. But secrecy is out of sync with those campaign promises.

No state lawmakers, including those representing Butler County, have been able to pull back the veil of secrecy surrounding so much of what goes on in Harrisburg. In fact, no member of the county's legislative delegation has emerged as a leader in the pursuit of open state government — obviously fearful of the ramifications from party leaders in regard to projects and money sought for this county.

That reality, also encompassing the state's other 66 counties, speaks loudly about why change is so difficult to achieve in Harrisburg.

About that $360 million, which is divided up equally between the Republican and Democratic caucuses in the House and Senate:

As reported on the front page of Tuesday's Butler Eagle, the Associated Press made repeated attempts in recent days to obtain information on how the respective caucuses were planning to spend the money. In all instances, the caucuses and senior legislators were unwilling to talk.

To those refusing to provide information, it didn't matter that the money they will be spending was derived from the people, meaning taxpayers. And the people have a right to know how their money is being spent.

"Some flatly refused to discuss the issue or did not return telephone calls," said the AP article. "Others said such a breakdown is not available because the money could not be separated out from the $27.2 billion budget that lawmakers negotiated with the governor."

While it is true that much of the money is paid out as grants, state taxpayers have a right to be apprised of at least the initial funding priorities in this, the fourth week of the new fiscal year. Priority projects do in fact exist now, and Butler County taxpayers have a right to know if projects that could benefit this county have a chance of being funded anytime soon.

The General Assembly's current stance provides no such insight.

Political considerations often determine which grants are funded. That is why individual lawmakers are reluctant to grab the spotlight and bad-mouth the environment of secrecy that envelops the grants process. Obedience to the behind-the-scenes demands of party leadership increases the chances for individual lawmakers' pet projects to be funded during the fiscal year.

But the grants process, as it exists, is a source of unease for many taxpayers as they continue to think about the numerous eye-opening disclosures about the way state government operates that have surfaced during the past two years.

State government has been worthy of few compliments during those past two years, and the secrecy about the $360 million received by the caucuses under the state's new budget package gives the taxpayers more fodder for concern.

Significant reform of the commonwealth's legislative process remains in a comatose state, but secrecy is alive and well under the state capitol dome.