Senator Ward's Statement on HB 747 Imposing Fees on Municipalities without Municipal Police Departments

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania State Senator Kim Ward (R-39th) released a statement today in response to the introduction of House Bill 747 which imposes a fee on municipalities that utilize the Pennsylvania State Police for primary public safety. Senator Ward represents four of the largest municipalities that would be required to pay this fee (Hempfield Township; Derry Township; Mt. Pleasant Township; Unity Township).

"If the intent of H.B. 747 is to alleviate the burden on the Pennsylvania State Police in these communities, then the Legislature should be working with these communities to encourage them to begin seriously looking at their public safety needs on a municipality by municipality basis; and not on a one-size fits all state mandate. Further, the Bill is punitive as it does nothing to create incentives, or phase-in options for these municipalities, and doesn’t send the fees directly back to the State Police," Ward said.

"I have been holding meetings within my district with municipalities on both sides of this issue. H.B. 747 is shortsighted in that it doesn’t address the problems that local governments are facing with budget breaking pension commitments and personnel legacy costs. I continue to work on finding solutions to these problems without dividing our communities," she concluded.