Shapiro’s Taxpayer-Funded Vanity

Gov. Josh Shapiro wants you to think he is a superhero. The governor released a new video, casting himself as a video-game fighter battling for Pennsylvanians against greed and inflation.

But don’t be fooled. Shapiro is fighting for only one person: himself. While Pennsylvanians struggle to put food on the table, Shapiro spends a shamefully inordinate amount of time on self-promotion.

But the only pockets being filled are Shapiro’s. In fact, the governor has been living large on the taxpayers’ dime.

TikTok Josh

Shapiro’s obsessive use of social media—such as haphazard videos depicting him as a video game hero—has reached ridiculous and costly heights. Shapiro’s office houses a nine-person team of communications professionals who maintain the governor’s sprawling social media presence. Shapiro’s “digital strategy” team costs taxpayers about $900,000 in salaries alone (not including benefits or other overhead expenses).

Shapiro loves social media influencers. Last summer, the governor hosted and spoke at a taxpayer-funded “Democracy Summer Camp” in Philadelphia for around 50 digital content creators. One attendee said it was “about how to promote the election this November [and] talk about how we can combat misinformation.” The administration did not disclose the agenda, presenters, participants, program costs, or how the event was funded.  

Unfortunately, the governor’s social media habit isn’t the only expense he’s tight-lipped about.

Living Large on the Taxpayer’s Dime

Upon winning his election, the governor took it upon himself to redecorate the Governor’s Mansion. He spent $92,000 in taxpayer dollars—20 percent more than the annual median household income in Pennsylvania—to upgrade the executive mansion, including $4,500 for a massage couch and $6,600 for TVs. Administration staff urged merchants to keep quiet about these purchases.

The governor has also racked up some frequent flyer mileage. The jet-setting governor has used state-funded aircraft to travel throughout Pennsylvania and across state lines for media appearances, conferences, and sporting events. During his first year as governor, Shapiro spent $270,000 in taxpayer-funded air travel. Even during his busiest year, former Gov. Tom Wolf, Shapiro’s predecessor, incurred $136,000 in air travel costs—half of what Shapiro spent. Also, recent reporting revealed that Shapiro has been using state police aircraft without public disclosure.

Putting the “Shh” in Shapiro

The governor is oddly secretive with his spending binges, too. The Shapiro administration actively blocked efforts to reveal why the governor’s office spent more than $350,000 in taxpayer dollars to hire private law firms. In response to a public records request, the Office of General Counsel released heavily redacted invoices that obscured the reason why the money was spent. A Commonwealth Court panel has now ruled that the governor’s office must remove some of the redactions—an order the administration has yet to comply with.  

While Shapiro recklessly spends public dollars on his self-promotion, Pennsylvanians struggle financially. Despite Shapiro’s claims to the contrary, inflation in Pennsylvania has exceeded the national average. All the while, the governor has used taxpayer resources to self-aggrandize himself and pursue his political ambitions. However, as demonstrated by a recent three-hour budget hearing, Shapiro’s fellow lawmakers have called out the governor for his “kind of frivolous” content and wasteful spending.

Pennsylvanians should encourage the governor to stop wasting their money on his self-gratifying fantasies. Governor Shapiro must face the reality that Pennsylvanians need a genuine fighter who works hard to improve their livelihoods, not one pretending to do so.