PA Auditor General on money of marriage equality

Just days before Pennsylvania legalized marriage equality, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale spoke out about the adverse financial effect of continuing to defend the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. DePasquale, elected as the state’s top fiscal officer last year after six years in the state House of Representatives, said he has been advocating for equal rights for decades.

Late last month, PGN sat down with DePasquale, who was in Philadelphia visiting his mother’s hometown, to talk about LGBT-rights victories in the state and where Pennsylvania is headed on equality.

PGN: What was your reaction when Judge Jones’ ruling came down in Whitewood v. Wolf? ED: It just felt good and it felt right. There were those times as a legislator where I would literally sit there and think, in a state like Pennsylvania, on LGBT rights, we were so behind the rest of the region. Now, do I think we are better than Alabama? Yes, but it began to feel very disappointing and overnight, it felt different. It just felt right.

PGN: You recently released a statement to Gov. Corbett about the cost of defending the state’s ban on marriage equality, saying it was wasting taxpayer dollars. What led up to this statement? ED: We sat down and I said to my staff, We got to get in this fight. Corbett is hiring outside counsel — which, there is nothing illegal about that — but this is costing money. However, what really prompted me to step it up is when the revenue estimate came in, we had a $1-billion shortfall. The administration is crying — for understandable purposes — that we would be heading into a very tough budget and I understand that and yet we are throwing this money out the window on all these lawyers. I said, Here’s a solution, let’s not spend that money. It doesn’t fix the whole problem but it is something. Not only is it the right thing to do but it saves tax money. Even if you are against marriage equality, your child may lose art and music in public schools because of this.

PGN: What do you think the position of auditor general can do to move LGBT issues forward? ED: I think a part of it is leadership, what we can do in our own department to make sure we are transparent and open for everybody. We have a diverse staff and there are people who are LGBT who work in our agency. But also part of it is, now as laws get implemented, as Auditor General, not only do we audit state spending but we audit programs as well so now that [marriage equality] is the law of Pennsylvania, we can make sure it is operating in an efficient manner — how marriage licenses are being awarded, etc.

PGN: What has the auditor general’s office done to not only further marriage equality but also nondiscrimination? ED: I was more active on that side when I was a legislator and on House Bill 300 I was one of the cosponsors of the bill. It was one of my first bills too. As Auditor General on that side it is more that I voice my opinion, which is something I have been very clear about. But unless money or state laws impact it, it is tough for me to get in and get it passed. But, as auditor general, I can use my voice to advocate for it.

PGN: From 2007-13 you served in the House of Representatives. What do you think your work in the House has helped you bring to your position as auditor general? ED: I think it certainly gave me more of a background on not just what the laws are but the policies and goals that go behind them. When we go in to audit a program, we have to look at, what is the intent of this law, how is it supposed to be carried out? It gave an underpinning on what the intent of the laws was.

PGN: What is your most rewarding experience while in office? ED: This week was rewarding. I got a lot of notes from LGBT friends saying how proud they are of the state. It also gives you pride when you find something that is wrong and you do an audit and it helps fix the problem. There are a whole bunch of advocates and allies who played a part in this and although we aren’t the whole part of it, we played a role.

PGN: What do you think it says that we have a Republican governor who decided not to appeal the marriage-equality decision? ED: No matter why someone does the right thing, whatever the motivation is, if they do the right thing, you should say thank you. I don’t know what [Corbett’s] motivation was. I met with the governor on several occasions; I have a good working relationship with him. It is very cordial. We’ve agreed on some issues, we’ve disagreed on a lot more. He didn’t appeal and that is the right decision.

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