When candidates for the state General Assembly shift their campaigns into high gear next month for the Nov. 7 general election, it will be up to the voters to demand specific answers about commonwealth issues.

But hidden amid the more publicized, obvious questions surrounding slot machine gambling, education funding, the possibility of scaling back the size of the legislature, and whether a constitutional convention might help to resolve some of the state's ills is the issue of access to certain information about those serving in the legislature.

Specifically, the candidates — incumbents and the hopefuls — should be asked their views on easing the restrictions currently in place regarding obtaining information about lawmakers' expenses.

The system currently in place is geared toward making it as difficult as possible for citizens to obtain such information.

The process can involve months of waiting for general listings of information. Then, if a citizen asks to see supporting receipts or documents, more weeks of waiting could be involved.

All of that involves trips to Harrisburg and making handwritten notes, although the information is contained in a computer database bought and maintained by the state's taxpayers.

Taxpayers deserve better. They should demand better.

The fall campaign will be a good time for the voters to ask legislative candidates what they would do, if elected, to make access to the information in question an easier process.

The state's taxpayers have a right to know what kind of bills their legislators are racking up.

The year since the now-repealed legislative pay raise of July 7, 2005, has shown that the people of Pennsylvania want change in how their state government operates.

Other states provide information on spreadsheets for easy comparison. If Pennsylvania lawmakers have nothing to be ashamed of, they shouldn't object to the same kind of transparency.