Wolf proposes $25 police fee

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More than half of Pennsylvania municipalities rely on state police for police coverage. (Map provided by Pennsylvania State Police.)

Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed $25 per person fee for municipalities that use Pennsylvania State Police for their police coverage could have an impact on local taxes in the greater Chadds Ford area. But one state representative doubts it will happen.

More than half of the state’s municipalities — 67 percent — rely to one degree or another, full or part time, on the state police for coverage. It’s estimated the fee would raise $63 million.

Some municipalities, such as Chadds Ford, Concord, Pennsbury, Pocopson and Newlin townships, have no police force of their own and rely solely on state police.

Residents in those, and the other municipalities who rely on state police pay no extra for that police protection. Taxpayers throughout Pennsylvania pay the cost.

The proposal came in the governor’s budget announcement Feb. 7, but state Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-160, said the proposal has been bandied about for years and doubts it would be accepted.

“That’s been around since I’ve been in the legislature,” said the 11-term representative. “I don’t see this getting the legs to go through, I don’t see it moving forward.”

Barrar added that, currently, 65 percent of the state police budget comes from the gasoline tax. The proposal, if it did go through, would be a way for the state to use another source of revenue for the police and have the gas tax money shifted back to roads and bridges.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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