Subject: [NEXTEL-1] LETTER FROM PA REP LEWIS TO AG

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 06 May 2004 09:09:13 -0400

May 4, 2004
                                 VIA FAX

Auditor General Robert P. Casey, Jr.
Department of Auditor General
229 Finance Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120-0018

                  RE: PA Statewide Radio System Project

Dear Auditor General Casey:
Â
Two weeks ago, Rep. Pat Browne and I requested your office review and
audit the $400 million of the Pennsylvania statewide radio system
project, given that it is not yet completed.Â  We strongly believe your
office has a defined duty to monitor, review and audit these large
contracted projects. While we support and encourage Pennsylvania
technology improvements to our statewide infrastructure especially for
public safety, we must make doubly sure these taxpayer-funded
investments work and meet original cost estimates.Â  Accordingly, we
believe a project of this scope and size warrants closer scrutiny by the
Pennsylvania Auditor General and the Rendell administration.Â
Concurrently, we believe the House should conduct public hearings on
this long-delayed project as well.Â
In 1996 the General Assembly first authorized the project with an
initial capital budget expenditure of $179 million. In 1999 the
contracts were let and a subsequent infusion of $43 million was made â€“
for a total of $222 million in state appropriations.Â  We are requesting
a detailed analysis the stated $400 million cost estimate (from excerpts
of FCC and House Appropriations Committee testimony). Presently, the
projectâ€™s development and completion date remain unknown and certain
technology issues have surfaced that need to be resolved.Â  Â
I believe your review and audit could make sure that: (1) Taxpayers get
a full accounting of the project, to date.Â (2) Taxpayers get a detailed
cost estimate of what it will cost the state, counties and local
governments to make this project operational.Â (3) Our federal, state,
county and local governments agree to work together and also work
together with the private sector â€“ most importantly with the wireless
industry â€“ to ensure taxpayers get a Pennsylvania statewide radio
system that works and is cost-efficient.Â  Additionally, we believe
there are significant opportunities for tower sharing, new technologies
and other avenues of cooperation; and (4) we get an achievable project
completion date with detailed deadlines.
Page Two
May 4, 2004
As a legislator, I support public safety improvements, the wise use of
technology and taxpayer funds, and the cell phone industryâ€™s quest and
the statewide radio systemâ€™s concurrent quest to reduce and eliminate
all coverage gaps in the state.Â  In fact, government and private
industry cooperation reduces the number of towers needed to implement
safe systems.Â
Certainly, better coordination is needed between the state, county,
local governments and the private sector to guarantee that new and
existing cell towers and radio towers are shared and utilized by the
wireless industry, the statewide radio system, and the 911 system.Â
These cooperative efforts should include coordination as to land
acquisition by eminent domain, tower building and site sharing.Â  A
coordinated effort on these important issues helps all Pennsylvanians.
Finally, the Commonwealth needs to have a completion date for the launch
of the statewide radio system set in stone, with deadlines.Â  We are
past the five-year contracted deadline from the last $43 million
expenditure.Â  We need to know the final implementation costs to all
levels of government, and what it will cost to maintain the system
annually.Â  We look forward to working together with all parties for a
prompt report and solution to better protect Pennsylvanians.
Â