HARRISBURG — Democratic and Republican caucuses in the Pennsylvania Legislature received a total of $360 million to allocate in this year's state budget.

So where is all the money going?

The Associated Press made repeated requests in recent days to the caucuses and senior legislators for an accounting by the Legislature of where the money is to be spent. They provided no information.

Some flatly refused to discuss the issue or did not return telephone calls. 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.

Much of the money is paid out as grants. Legislators defend the grant programs as crucial to the survival of numerous community services, providing a stream of flexible money in an otherwise mammoth state budget. Critics, however, say political considerations can determine which grants are funded; no public hearings are held on the individual grants.

In Washington, efforts were made this year to add greater transparency to the funding of lawmakers' pet projects, or earmarks. Democrats put in place rules requiring bills containing earmarks to have a detailed roster of them, accompanied by the names of their sponsors.

In Pennsylvania, the Legislature's pot of money typically finances grant programs administered by state agencies.

According to legislators, some programs have a narrow focus, such as cancer research or poison control centers, while others are broader and distribute funds to libraries, colleges, municipalities, nonprofit groups and volunteer fire companies. One of the largest is the "Community Revitalization" program, which last year paid for everything from dance company salaries to football fields.

Groups seeking the money typically apply through their local legislators, and executive branch officials make the final decisions. Technically, that gives the Rendell administration control of the purse strings, although they say legislative leaders exert influence by recommending particular projects.

Steve Crawford, Gov. Ed Rendell's legislative secretary, said the administration is more likely to approve funding for a project that has the blessing of a legislative leader. But, he said, projects that get money must be shown to be deserving.

Barry Kauffman, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, which advocates for openness in government, said the process allows the administration to use the money as political leverage in lining up legislative support for its priorities.

"The problem is, under the current system, you lose the concept of merit and need analysis," Kauffman said.

Each year, the process works like this: The governor proposes a budget that includes programs he favors and cuts money for programs that legislators rely on to finance projects or services in their home districts. As part of subsequent negotiations, he agrees to reduce some of his spending so legislators can add money back to those programs.

As part of this year's agreement with Rendell, each of four caucuses — Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate — was allowed to allocate $90 million.

In last year's budget, legislators had $500 million to work with, according to Rendell's budget secretary, Michael Masch.

A final budget document passed both chambers of the Legislature on July 16, and was signed into law the next day by the governor.

Legislative leaders were asked to provide a list of the programs funded by the Legislature.

"There's no list," insisted Tom Andrews, a spokesman for the House Democratic leader, Bill DeWeese of Greene County.