Much has been made of the failure in Harrisburg to enact meaningful legislative reforms in the wake of the controversial pay-raise vote of 2005 that awakened voters to the arrogance and self-serving ways of the General Assembly. Though the lack of progress is frustrating, there still is hope for change in Harrisburg.

The most traditional path to change is through elections, when incumbents choose not to run for re-election or are defeated by challengers. Another avenue is found in the courts, such as the state attorney general's investigation into the 2006 legislative year-end bonuses that appear to have been tied to political work, a practice banned by law, but apparently enthusiastically endorsed by House Democrats who paid close to $2 million in such bonuses.

There are other legal actions that might help change the face of Harrisburg, including the federal indictment against state Sen. Vincent Fumo, D-Phila., for misuse of about $1 million in taxpayer funds and about $1 million in funds and assets of a nonprofit organization with which Fumo had very close ties.

Though there are few reform accomplishments to note, Harrisburg will see change.

Last month, it was learned that at least 18 state representatives and senators will not seek re-election. More legislators might announce plans to leave their Harrisburg jobs, but it is unlikely that 2008 will match the 55 new state lawmakers produced in 2006.

Still, the more new faces, and new attitudes about public service, the better chances are for reform.

Among those lawmakers not seeking re-election is state Sen. Gerald LaValle, D-Beaver, chairman and ranking Democrat on the powerful Appropriations Committee.

Few in Butler County might be familiar with LaValle, but he is well- known in Beaver County, partly for his partnership with former state Rep. Mike Veon in creating a nonprofit called The Beaver Initiative for Growth. The group, known as BIG, was founded in 1992 and was the recipient of at least $10.6 million in state funding, pushed by Veon and LaValle, who also served for several years as the only BIG board members.

The actual accomplishments of BIG are few, and a newspaper investigation found that most of the group's money was spent on overhead, including salaries, and for no-bid contracts with consultants, some of whom were campaign contributors to Veon or LaValle.

The image is sadly familiar: Taxpayer money is directed by powerful lawmakers to special interests who, in turn, contribute to those same lawmakers' re-election campaigns.

LaValle also made news when the 75-year-old lawmaker's wife was revealed to have been paid $132,246 to head a nonprofit agency where she supervised two employees. Her salary represented more than one- third of the group's total expenses and, after a public outcry over her pay, she returned $47,323 in "unauthorized" salary.

Whether LaValle has grown tired of driving to and from Harrisburg, or wants to "spend more time with his family," as is often given as a reason for a clouded political retirement, he still must answer questions regarding how BIG was funded and how the money was spent.

The state attorney general's investigation into what's now known as "bonusgate" has looked into BIG. What already is known about the suspect nonprofit should trigger a thorough review by the state auditor general — and LaValle and Veon, who now works as a Harrisburg lobbyist, should be held accountable for their roles in BIG's spending of state-provided money.

The opportunity for abuse, as well as the lack of accountability, at BIG appears to be similar to the situation that existed at Citizens Alliance for Better Neighborhoods, the Philadelphia nonprofit that Fumo is accused of manipulating for his own personal and political gain.

LaValle might look forward to retirement and stepping away from the Harrisburg battles, but he should reserve time in his schedule for answering investigators' questions about how BIG operated and who benefited from the expenditures of millions in taxpayer money.

What's already known about BIG and Fumo's Citizens Alliance group has raised red flags that should lead to thorough independent audits of any nonprofit organization with close ties to a state lawmaker.

Voters and taxpayers alike deserve better oversight when it comes to these cozy relationships involving powerful state lawmakers, taxpayer dollars and benign-sounding nonprofits with close ties to their chief benefactors in Harrisburg. Veon's ouster from the General Assembly and LaValle's planned retirement should not change this.