Newsradio 1020 KDKA Editorial: Act 47

Pittsburgh entered Act 47, a state oversight program for financially distressed cities, in December, 2003.

Two suburban Republican state lawmakers pushed legislation creating an additional financial watchdog, The Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority or ICA.

Unfortunately, they failed to include public accountability in the measure. Now we have learned that the ICA has lost or destroyed most of its own financial records, board meeting minutes, and public meeting transcripts.

The state Ethics Commission is investigating the ICA's lone employee.

Seems Executive Director Henry Sciortino failed to file a mandatory financial interest form every year since 2005.

The Allegheny County District Attorney has launched a criminal probe of the ICA and the state Auditor General may conduct a forensic audit. That's all good.

But instead of trying to reform the ICA, State lawmakers should dissolve it.

Pittsburgh is still under Act 47 oversight. It doesn't need "help" from an organization that is inept, corrupt or both.