The Center for Public Integrity in Washington has declared Pennsylvania's legislature to be the most corrupt in the nation. And that was before the pay raise and before the sworn affidavit by a former lawmaker alleging case-fixing between the legislature and the courts dating back to 1999.

• Until January 2007, Pennsylvania was the only state in the nation with no law to control lobbyists. The new law is very weak and does not give our citizens the kind of law we want -- one that prohibits public officials from taking gifts, transportation, meals and entertainment from lobbyists. Center for Public Integrity
• Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation that has no limits on campaign contributions to candidates for public office. Common Cause
• Pennsylvania has the only legislature in the nation that has exempted itself from its open records law. [Common Cause/PA]
• Pennsylvania has the only judiciary that has exempted itself from its open records law.
• In July 2007, Pennsylvania became the last state to make its laws available to citizens online and free of charge, but only consolidated laws. Other laws, called unconsolidated laws, still are not available to citizens without paying a lawyer or fees to a private company.
• Pennsylvania is the only state that makes lame-duck session (session that occurs after the election) a common practice. 38 states prohibit it. [Common Cause/PA]
• Pennsylvania is the only state that in 2004 passed more legislation after the election than before it. [Associated Press]
• Pennsylvania ranks behind only Alabama and South Dakota in citizen access to public records, making it much harder than necessary to find out how government spends our money and makes the decisions we have to live with and pay for. Better Government Association
• Pennsylvania got an F from the Reform Institute because we make it so hard for minor party candidates to get on the ballot and give voters a choice.

As if that weren't enough, we also pay top dollar for this lousy performance. Pennsylvania has the highest payroll for lawmakers of any state in the nation and the highest percentage of the state budget spent on our legislature. [National Conference of State Legislatures]