Like diamonds and a mother’s love, some things are timeless – like the age-old fight over a proposed levy on Pennsylvania municipalities that rely solely on state police.
In his 2019-2020 budget, Gov. Tom Wolf proposed a sliding scale based on population size: Municipalities with full-time state police would pay between $8 and $166 per resident, which would provide an estimated revenue of $103.9 million. Previously, Wolf (unsuccessfully) raised the idea of a flat fee of $25 per person in areas lacking local police.
So why is this such a controversial and long-running debate? Let’s dive in.
Give me the story.
You’d be forgiven for not remembering every twist and turn in this decades-long battle.
According to one source, the fee comes from Republican Gov. Tom Ridge, who proposed the idea three times between 1995 and 1999. Questioner from Philadelphia article from this decade. Ridge wanted a fixed fee to apply in municipalities with more than 9,000 inhabitants.
Former governors. Ed Rendell and Tom Corbett, a Democrat and Republican, respectively, have put forward similar plans.
Outside of the executive branch is Rep. Mike Sturla of Lancaster County introduced fee regulations for a decade. None of them managed to cross the finish line.
How is the agency financed?
The more than $1 billion it costs to run the State Police comes from general funds and vehicle licenses. The money from the latter will be spent on highway and bridge renovations. But that doesn’t stop governors and the General Assembly from pouring hundreds of millions into State Police efforts.
In 2016, the legislature constrained the amount of driver’s license money that could be transferred to state police coffers. In the 2027-28 budget, this amount will gradually decrease to a maximum of $500 million. This puts even more pressure on lawmakers to propose other credible sources of funding.
Which municipalities utilize the State Police full-time?
The department provides full-time care in 1,296 municipalities across the Commonwealth, mostly in rural areas.
Roughly a quarter of Pennsylvania’s population uses the force full- or part-time, according to the study. analysis by Rep. Matthew Bradford of Montgomery County, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.
How does it work?
State troopers respond to calls in these areas but do not enforce local ordinances. According to analysts, about 75 percent of calls made by soldiers come from places where there are no local police departments. analysis by the Pennsylvania Rural Center.
Throughout the state, State Police also provide specialty services such as laboratory analysis.
So what’s the problem?
Representatives of tiny local governments argue that they will pay twice and get nothing more.
“Our organization has historically opposed any legislation that would mandate or force any community to pay additional money for state services that everyone already pays for,” said Dave Sanko, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors.
Sanko argues that since every working person pays income tax, which contributes to the general fund, these municipalities already pay their fair share.
Some communities “choose” to have local police departments, he said, for a variety of reasons. If municipalities are satisfied with the coverage of the State Police, why should they pay more?
“If the state police want to sit down and say we want to charge everyone for our services, that’s a different discussion.”
What do the soldiers think?
The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association supports the proposal, largely because of the burden on the agency.
President of the Association David Kennedy he said WITF “Pennsylvania is currently 500 troops below its strength.” Wolf’s budget includes nearly $10 million to fund three cadet classes.
So will the levy actually happen this year?
Unclear.
As noted by Sturla w interview With PennLivesome Republican Party leaders in the General Assembly represent areas under 24-hour surveillance by state police. “They may try to cheat it,” he said, because of the additional costs to his constituents.
Rep. Stan Saylor, Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, he said the Morning call the fee plan won’t go through. Instead, Saylor favors a flat fee in municipalities with a population of 10,000 or more. His application I didn’t go anywhere during the last session.
