Governor Tom Wolf’s controversial plan to charge every municipality in Pennsylvania for state police protection if they do not have their own police force came under the microscope of the House Appropriations Committee in Harrisburg yesterday.
Acting state police Commissioner Robert Evanchick told lawmakers the plan may not be the “end-all, be-all” answer, but they do need to find a solution to funding his agency.
Wolf is trying for a third time to push lawmakers to fund the state police by charging boroughs and townships for coverage by state troopers. Two-thirds of the state police budget is currently paid by money diverted from the state’s Motor License Fund, which is supposed to be used only for road construction, repair, and safety.
Evanchick told the committee it doesn’t matter where the money comes from, but the agency needs funded adequately to continue to serve the public. With 150 to 300 troopers retiring every year, the state police need more funds to train replacements.
Twenty-seven Indiana County municipalities would be charged almost $3 million for state police protection. White Township alone would be billed over $2 million.
