Weighted state police tax for all
Sliding scale based on income, population, need for services provided by agency
In his 2020-21 budget unveiling, Gov. Wolf introduced the idea of a state police fee to all municipalities.
In his 2020-21 Pennsylvania budget unveiled Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf introduced the idea of a state police fee to all municipalities, and pushed the need to increase funding for a number of social services programs designed to help children, the elderly and others considered vulnerable.
Wolf proposed a weighted fee for state police protection, assessing every municipality because services are provided to all, regardless of a municipality’s level of local police coverage.
A previous proposal was to tax only the municipalities that relied solely on state police. All municipalities currently pay no extra fees for state police.
The fee scale proposed in the budget is predicated on station coverage costs, which are driven by incidents and coverage area, and considers various factors, including population and income. It is further weighted for municipalities benefiting from full- or parttime police services, he said.
The fee would allow four additional cadet classes to begin in 2020-21 to maintain the state police at full strength despite expected retirements and turnover, the governor said.
By the end of 2020-21, the resulting graduates would increase the trooper complement level to the highest point in the history of the department.
During his budget address Wolf spoke about early intervention, which he said offers the best chance of healthy development for children up to age 5 with developmental delays or risk factors for delays.
While the number of children up to age 3 served through early intervention in the state has increased by more than 15 percent in the last five years, administrative funds have not risen. The budget includes $11 million for 2,000 additional slots for children age 3to5.
Wolf budgeted an additional $8.1 million to help individuals eligible for longterm in-home care services and to protect older adults. That money would provide services to 1,700 people on the state’s in-home services waiting list.
The budget includes a $15.3 million increase in federal funds to Child Care Works base rates to create a more stable business environment for child care facilities and ensure equal access to child care services, the current lack of which prevents many parents from going to work and job seekers from attending job interviews, he said.
Wolf budgeted $4 million to support people living with autism or intellectual disabilities, and included investments in comprehensive training for direct care workers to help counties support individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism living in the communities and toward prevention services for at-risk families.
Wolf also wants to invest an additional $1 million in the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System to provide healthy meals to more families in need. That would address food insecurity while supporting agriculture in the state, he said.
And the budget includes $1.3 million in the Court Appointed Special Advocate program that would legally protect children who have been victims of abuse or neglect.