Earlier this month, I recounted way too many instances of elected leaders in Pennsylvania being convicted of crimes that violated their oaths of office and their promises to the constituents who elected them.

It was pretty grim stuff, because Pennsylvania is fast becoming the most corrupt state in the union, rivaling the likes of Illinois. Today, I have more inspiring news, a breath of fresh air, if you will, that gives me hope that there might be a chance that our great commonwealth will right the ship of state.

Gov. Tom Wolf this week introduced a package of ethics reforms that should have been on the books years ago, but, hey, better late than never.

Referring to these measures as “Citizens First,” he is calling for a ban on gifts for public officials, legislation that prevents paying legislators and members of the administration if the annual budget is not adopted on time, expense-account reforms and taking steps to reduce the power of special interests.

Wolf may not be at the top of the list when it comes to pushing through legislative programs that he wanted, but he gets my vote as being one of the most ethical governors in our history.

He took a strong stance on the very first day he took office in January 2015 by forbidding members of his administration from taking gifts from lobbyists and those who are trying to curry favor with the governor.

Wolf donates his $194,850 annual salary to charity and refuses to accept any payments to his state pension. He specifically ended pay-to-play practices in which contractors for state jobs would donate to his election campaign. This is the type of activity that resulted in Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski being convicted on 47 of 54 federal charges brought by the FBI.

Now, Wolf wants to broaden the scope of these ethical rules and practices to include the members of the State House and Senate, who have been resistant to controls and accounting procedures.

Wolf said he has done things differently from his predecessors and has worked to rebuild the public trust in the executive branch. He is proposing the enforcement of strict standards for how state government operates. It is his hope, and mine, too, that this will rebuild a trust across-the-board in our elected officials. “My plan will make sure that our citizens are the ones calling the shots — not entrenched special interests,” Wolf said.

I am sure that some will brand this as a re-election ploy, because Wolf this year is seeking another four-year term, but given his record on ethical reforms, I am convinced that he is sincere, and this is a logical page from his playbook. We taxpayers need to get on board to support these initiatives, too.

Here is what the governor is proposing: A gift ban for public officials. Wolf said all public officials should be held to the same standard as he has set for members of his administration and himself.

Pennsylvania is one of 10 states with no limits on gifts to public officials. This is ridiculous. It opens up the system to all types of abuse and conflicts of interest. As it is now, politicians outside of the executive branch can take unlimited gifts, and it is perfectly legal. No budget, no pay: Pennsylvania has had late budgets six of the last 10 years. Wolf proposes that if the Legislature and he cannot adopt a budget on time, none will be paid until a budget is put into place. And that goes for the top staff members of both the Legislature and the administration.

Wolf also wants to enact new campaign finance laws that would place limits on contributions to candidates seeking elected office. Along with that, he would like to strengthen reporting and disclosure requirements and place reasonable restrictions on political action committees.

Another key provision of his reform plan is to require public officials to account for their expenses by submitting receipts. This is a no-brainer. Wolf requires members of his administration, and most private sector employees pay for expenses, provide receipts, and after these receipts are checked and verified, the employees are reimbursed. Believe it or not, receipts are not required now, leading to a system begging to be abused.

These changes are long overdue. The governor cited the Center for Public Integrity’s F grade to Pennsylvania, ranking it 45th among states for integrity, but the center praised the governor for his reform and ethical efforts.

We citizens must demand strong ethical behavior from our elected leaders. This program is a major effort in that direction.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com