On Sept. 21, the state threatened the Beaver Initiative for Growth with a suspension of funding until it straightened out an audit. On Sept. 22, the Department of Community and Economic Development awarded BIG a $1 million grant. The audit has not been corrected. Yet, by the end of 2005, the DCED had awarded BIG another $6.5 million. Life is good for state Rep. Mike Veon of Beaver Falls and state Sen. Gerald LaValle of Rochester. The Democrats founded BIG, an economic development outfit in Beaver County. It exists solely on state money -- $10.6 million since 1999 -- and until recently the only two members of its board were, drumroll please , Messrs. Veon and LaValle. Only after the Trib intimated none too subtly that BIG looked like a vote-buying slush fund for the legislators did they add members to the board. It's window-dressing. A portion of BIG's grants came directly from the Legislature, where Veon and LaValle, two pay-jackers, are powerful men. Not so incidentally, Veon, House minority whip, was the only member of the Legislature to vote against repealing the pay grab. The DCED should be ashamed, but it is not. Veon and LaValle should be ashamed, but they are not. BIG and its clients should be ashamed, but they are not. The pols, the bureaucrats and the hangers-on really do think it's their money. Pennsylvanians are taken for a ride by an engorged collection of leeches.

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---