The use of taxpayer funds comes on top of repairs and security upgrades to the governor’s official residence in Harrisburg.
After an arson attack on the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in Harrisburg that Governor Shapiro and his family narrowly escaped during the night, the official residence has to undergo extensive repairs.
Along with the repairs, security upgrades are being made in the wake of the attack. Additional security upgrades will be made to the governor’s personal residence in Montgomery County.
According to information the administration disclosed to top lawmakers, Pennsylvania taxpayers are paying for roughly $1 million to the governor’s private home.
The Friday letter sent to lawmakers by the administration said improvements include “erecting physical and visual barriers on the property, installing enhanced security technology, and other steps.”
The letter said that due to safety concerns, the administration could not provide more details about the work being completed at Shapiro’s private Montgomery County home.
The letter was authored by Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Christopher Paris and Department of General Services Secretary Reggie McNeill.
According to the letter, security improvements totaling $32.3 million are being made at the governor’s official residence in Harrisburg. This includes $8 million being spent on retrofitting the mansion with new windows that are bulletproof and shatterproof.
“The horrifying attack on the Governor, his family, and Commonwealth property, coupled with the unfortunate rise in political violence across our country, has made these updates necessary to protect the Governor and his family and ensure the continued operation of the executive branch of the Commonwealth. No family should have to live behind bulletproof glass or behind large walls – but the nature of the threats against elected officials today require us to take these important steps,” the letter said.
“Unfortunately, the threat to a high-profile elected official like Governor Shapiro does not end when he leaves the Governor’s Residence,” Paris and McNeill continued.
In a recent statement, Shapiro spokesperson Rosie Lapowsky said the administration “consulted the Ethics Commission… to ensure there is no improper private, pecuniary gain from these security improvements.”
Lapowsky said the State Police conducted a security review following the attack and recommended certain security improvements to the governor’s personal residence.
Prior to the letter being sent to lawmakers, outlet Spotlight PA submitted a public records request for all taxpayer-funded expenditures at the governor’s private home. Republican state Senator Jarrett Coleman also sent a letter to Paris seeking additional information about improvements being made to the governor’s Montgomery County residence.
Coleman chairs the state Senate’s Intergovernmental Operations Committee. In a recent statement, he said his committee will “continue to investigate” spending at the governor’s residence “to protect taxpayers as this unprecedented project is being completed.”
Among questions about what insurance will cover for the repairs, the letter said the state has submitted $4.5 million in expenses to one of its insurers. Paris and McNeill said $2 million has been approved in reimbursements so far.
“In addition to the visible and extensive building security enhancements outlined above, additional recommendations on things like staffing, internal systems, and other technology improvements have been implemented,” by the state, said the letter. “To avoid risk of a successful security threat against the property or the Governor in the future, we cannot disclose all of those recommendations publicly.”
