Pennsylvania app accesses campaign finance data
Connecting state and local government leaders
In a political season, Pennsylvania makes available financial information filed by candidates for state office to the public via mobile apps.
Pennsylvania is now making campaign finance information filed by candidates for state office and political action committees available to the public on a mobile app.
Earlier this year, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett directed the Commonwealth’s Department of State to revamp the campaign finance search engine on its website, making it much easier for the public to access information.
The campaign finance mobile app provides an overview of a committee's activity in a reporting period, including the total amount of money received, money spent and the remaining balance or cash on hand.
The app does yet not provide information on individual contributors to a committee, or individual expenditures made by a committee. However, the information is available at Department of State website, www.dos.state.pa.us.
"People are increasingly getting information on mobile devices, and this app will now allow Pennsylvanians to find out on their mobile devices how much money political campaigns are raising and spending," said Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele.
"I believe government needs to be as open and transparent as possible, and provide government data in the same way citizens are getting other important information," she added.
The Pennsylvania campaign finance mobile app is available in the Apple iTunes Store and Google Play Store by searching for Pennsylvania CFS or Campaign Finance.
Plans to offer the campaign app follow earlier steps by the Corbett administration to make it easier for businesses to file corporate filings online.
The commonwealth’s “e-forms” service makes 90 forms for corporate filings available to be completed and filed online. The forms represent more than 90 percent of the corporate filings handled by the state annually.
More than 200 online application forms for professional licensees are expected to be completed by the end of the year, according to the secretary’s office. "This is part of Governor Corbett's plan to attract jobs by making it easier and less expensive to do business in Pennsylvania,” said Aichele.
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