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A House Bill that would charge a fee on municipalities for patrol services provided by the Pennsylvania State Police is under scrutiny from the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS).
HB 1500, also known as the Pennsylvania State Police Municipal Patrol Services Act, was introduced by state Representative P. Michael Sturla (D-Lancaster) and co-sponsored by 47 other Democrats and 3 Republicans. No Representatives from the Wayne County area are co-sponsors of this bill. The bill would charge a fee to municipalities for services of the PA State Police if the municipality does not have their own full-time police force, does not participate in a full-time regional police force, or does not have a contract with another municipality for full-time police services.
“Local officials will be forced to scrape together hundreds of thousands of dollars -- in some cases, nearly as much as or more than their current annual budget -- to comply with the proposal,” said David M. Sanko, Executive Director of PSATS.
According to HB 1500, a municipality will be expected to pay a per capita fee of $52 in the first year, $104 in the second, $156 in the third. If a municipality currently provides or institutes local full-time patrol services, the municipality will be assessed the annual per capita rate of $156.
Of the funds collected annually under this act, $20 million would be deposited into a restricted account established in the State Treasury for funding additional Pa. State Police cadet classes. 90% of the funds will go to the Motor License Fund, which is used for highway and bridge improvement, design, maintenance and right-of-way purchases. The other 10% will be distributed to the Department of Community and Economic Development to assist and encourage municipalities to enter into cooperative arrangements to provide police services in two or more municipalities. Funds would also be used for grants for equipment and studies for implementing cooperative policing arrangements, according to the House Bill text.
“It will take a massive tax increase to handle that bill and it does nothing to help law enforcement in our area,” said Jeffrey Dexter, chairman of the Board of Supervisors from Damascus Twp. “It’s a rotten deal.”
Distressed municipalities are not required to pay fees under the act. Formally distressed cities would be expected to pay.
Municipalities that want to opt-out of the program would be able to write a letter, giving notice of the decision, to the Pa State Police Commissioner. State Police barracks in the vicinity of that municipality will then be notified not to provide patrol services, except in the case of emergencies and incidents. A year after the notice was sent, the State Police would submit an invoice to the municipality, with a fee for incident and emergency calls, which would be paid back to the state on a quarterly basis.
“It’s there to put money into the State Treasury and means tax payers will have to pay a small fortune,” Mr. Dexter said.
Under HB 1500, municipalities that forgo payment will be required to forfeit payments to be received from the Commonwealth until withstanding balance owed is paid in full. Any municipality that fails to make a full quarterly payment will forfeit all Pa State Police patrol services until outstanding payment is paid.
“Township supervisors and borough council members should be empowered and entrusted to carry on Pennsylvania’s proud tradition of government by the people, for the people, Mr. Sanko said. “If residents want a local police presence, great, and if they don’t, that’s OK, too. Why? Because the decision was based on the desires of the people who pay the bills -- the taxpayers -- not some politician perched in an office in Harrisburg,” he said.
Contact your representatives:
• Rep. Michael Peifer (139th)
District Office:
Wayne County Visitors Center
32 Commercial Street
Suite 300
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: (570)253-5533
M-F 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Rep. Sandra Major (111th)
R.R. #7, Box 7186
Montrose, PA 18801
Phone: (570)278-3374
M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Rep. Edward Staback (115th)
843 Scranton Carbondale Highway
Eynon, PA 18403
Phone: (570)876-1111
A House Bill that would charge a fee on municipalities for patrol services provided by the Pennsylvania State Police is under scrutiny from the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS).
HB 1500, also known as the Pennsylvania State Police Municipal Patrol Services Act, was introduced by state Representative P. Michael Sturla (D-Lancaster) and co-sponsored by 47 other Democrats and 3 Republicans. No Representatives from the Wayne County area are co-sponsors of this bill. The bill would charge a fee to municipalities for services of the PA State Police if the municipality does not have their own full-time police force, does not participate in a full-time regional police force, or does not have a contract with another municipality for full-time police services.
“Local officials will be forced to scrape together hundreds of thousands of dollars -- in some cases, nearly as much as or more than their current annual budget -- to comply with the proposal,” said David M. Sanko, Executive Director of PSATS.
According to HB 1500, a municipality will be expected to pay a per capita fee of $52 in the first year, $104 in the second, $156 in the third. If a municipality currently provides or institutes local full-time patrol services, the municipality will be assessed the annual per capita rate of $156.
Of the funds collected annually under this act, $20 million would be deposited into a restricted account established in the State Treasury for funding additional Pa. State Police cadet classes. 90% of the funds will go to the Motor License Fund, which is used for highway and bridge improvement, design, maintenance and right-of-way purchases. The other 10% will be distributed to the Department of Community and Economic Development to assist and encourage municipalities to enter into cooperative arrangements to provide police services in two or more municipalities. Funds would also be used for grants for equipment and studies for implementing cooperative policing arrangements, according to the House Bill text.
“It will take a massive tax increase to handle that bill and it does nothing to help law enforcement in our area,” said Jeffrey Dexter, chairman of the Board of Supervisors from Damascus Twp. “It’s a rotten deal.”
Distressed municipalities are not required to pay fees under the act. Formally distressed cities would be expected to pay.
Municipalities that want to opt-out of the program would be able to write a letter, giving notice of the decision, to the Pa State Police Commissioner. State Police barracks in the vicinity of that municipality will then be notified not to provide patrol services, except in the case of emergencies and incidents. A year after the notice was sent, the State Police would submit an invoice to the municipality, with a fee for incident and emergency calls, which would be paid back to the state on a quarterly basis.
“It’s there to put money into the State Treasury and means tax payers will have to pay a small fortune,” Mr. Dexter said.
Under HB 1500, municipalities that forgo payment will be required to forfeit payments to be received from the Commonwealth until withstanding balance owed is paid in full. Any municipality that fails to make a full quarterly payment will forfeit all Pa State Police patrol services until outstanding payment is paid.
“Township supervisors and borough council members should be empowered and entrusted to carry on Pennsylvania’s proud tradition of government by the people, for the people, Mr. Sanko said. “If residents want a local police presence, great, and if they don’t, that’s OK, too. Why? Because the decision was based on the desires of the people who pay the bills -- the taxpayers -- not some politician perched in an office in Harrisburg,” he said.
Contact your representatives:
• Rep. Michael Peifer (139th)
District Office:
Wayne County Visitors Center
32 Commercial Street
Suite 300
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: (570)253-5533
M-F 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Rep. Sandra Major (111th)
R.R. #7, Box 7186
Montrose, PA 18801
Phone: (570)278-3374
M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Rep. Edward Staback (115th)
843 Scranton Carbondale Highway
Eynon, PA 18403
Phone: (570)876-1111
