Newspaper wants Paterno's salary made public

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Penn State football coach Joe Paterno's salary should be made public because people have the right to know how money is spent by the state retirement system, attorneys for a newspaper argued Wednesday.
The Commonwealth Court heard arguments on whether the State Employees' Retirement System board was right to rule last year that Paterno's salary and those of three other top Penn State University officials are public record.
An attorney for Penn State told the court that the case is really about The Patriot-News of Harrisburg's tabloid-like curiosity about how much Paterno makes.
"That information doesn't shed much light on the operations of [the retirement system]," John Snyder, Penn State's attorney, told the five judges assembled to hear the case in Pittsburgh. "If you want to know how SERS is doing, read its comprehensive annual report."
But attorneys for the newspaper and the retirement system say the law is on their side.
"We indeed are here this morning, if you agree with Penn State, to carve out a special exception for Penn State University employees," said Craig Staudenmaier, the newspaper's attorney.
The retirement board ruled last May that the information was public record under the state's Right-To-Know Act. The board in November rejected appeals by Paterno; Richard Althouse, the university's budget officer; Rodney A. Erickson, executive vice president and provost; and treasurer Gary C. Schultz. But the retirement system delayed releasing the information pending Penn State's Commonwealth Court appeal.
Penn State President Graham Spanier, in an interview with The Associated Press, expressed doubt that the issue is "a matter of accountability of taxpayer dollars. ... It's more of a curiosity and a feeling of a right to know. And the curiosity is fueled primarily by the media.
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