Ford Turner, Central Square
(Plac Centralny) – A flop over spending on the Democratic Party Governor Josh Shapiro security deepened Monday when former governors endorsed the concept of gubernatorial security, but a Republican senator objected to exceeding the $32 million already spent on upgrading the governor’s public residence by footing the bill for work on his private home.
The rematch took place two days later an armed attacker tried to get into the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, which they attended President Donald Trump. Just over a year ago a man planted a firebomb in the Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg while Shapiro and his family slept, although they escaped unharmed.
“Fighting political violence and ensuring the safety of our elected officials should always be impartial and a priority,” said a statement issued through Shapiro’s office but authored by former Democrats Cow. Tomek Wilk AND Ed Rendell and former Republican Cow. Tomek Corbet, Mark SchweikerAND Tom Ridge.
“For us, the attack on Pennsylvania’s first family was particularly distressing. In the wake of this attack, we are asking current state leaders and legislators to make the safety of the governor and his family a priority,” the former governors said.
Last week, Republican Treasurer Stacy Garrity – who will most likely be Shapiro’s opponent in his re-election bid in November – it was announced her office was unable to pay more than $1 million for security improvements at the governor’s private home in Montgomery County. Although improvements had already been made, she said it would not be “lawful and correct” to charge them at the public’s expense.
On Monday, Garrity said her duties as treasurer were clearly defined and did not include “powers to pay for security improvements in a private residence.”
Garrity noted that security has already been improved at the governor’s private home, so “it’s not about improvements, it’s about having the legal authority to pay the bills, and that just doesn’t exist.”
Since the firebomb attack, the public has already spent about $32 million on improvements to the governor’s public residence in north Harrisburg, according to the Republican Party. Senator Jarrett Coleman (R-Lehigh/Bucks). This figure includes a straight-line expenditure included in the 2025-2026 state budget and a separate amount of approximately $10 million in capital funds from the Department of General Services.
“Current law does not allow tax dollars to make modifications to private property such as Shapiro’s private home,” Coleman said.
Coleman on Monday sent a memo — typically a step before a bill is filed — regarding the establishment of a seven-member “Executive Oversight Council for Protection” cope with such situations in the future.
Last week, Democrats sharply criticized Garrity’s announcement. Senator Jay Costa of Allegheny County, the top Democrat in the Senate, equated it to “playing games with the lives of the Shapiro family for cheap political points.”
Ford Turner is a Pennsylvania reporter for The Center Square
