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OCTOBER 2009
SPECIAL SECTION:
Vol. 6, Issue 4
Food & Dining Guide Page 40
Moms Tears Brings Comfort to Those Dealing With Loss Page 34
INDEX: Local News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Home & Garden . . . . . . . . 35 Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Senior News . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Kids & Family . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 School News . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Library News . . . . . . . . . . 72 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
“ W E ’ R E T H E N E I G H B O R LY N E W S PA P E R ” Union Township • Finleyville • Gastonville • Eighty Four • Nottingham • Peters Township • Venetia • New Eagle • Monongahela • Elrama • Elizabeth • West Elizabeth • Jefferson Hills • Library • South Park
PAYING FOR PROTECTION Nottingham Officials Concerned About Proposal to Charge Fees for State Police Patrols
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By J.R. Brower
ottingham Township Supervisor Peter Marcoline recently warned fellow supervisors about a pending bill before the General Assembly of Pennsylvania that, if passed, would have dire consequences on the township’s finances. House Bill 1500, known as the Pennsylvania State Police Municipal Patrol Services Act, was introduced to the 2009 session by 52 legislators. The bill’s purpose is to levy fees upon municipalities that do not have their own police departments, whether regional or
contracted with other municipalities, and rely upon patrol services from State Police. The bill provides for assessing municipalities for full time patrol services on an annual per capita basis. Based on Nottingham’s 2000 population figure of 2,522, the provisions of the bill would have the township pay the following amounts annually for full-time State Police patrols: first year ($52 per capita) $131,144, second year ($104 per capita) $262,288 and third year and thereafter ($156 per capital) $393,432.
Marcoline told the Board that an expenditure of $393,432 is almost half of the Nottingham Township’s current annual budget. Even if the township opted out of full-time State Police patrol service and chose just to have them respond to emergencies or specific incidents, the state would still bill them annually at a rate of $52 per capita after three years, which would total $131,144. This would still be a hefty sum for the sparsely populated mostly rural township to have to pay. Presently, the township does not have to pay anything for State Police patrols provided by the Washington Barracks. Neighboring Union Township, who also does not have a local police force, is also patrolled by the State Police, but their services come from the Belle Vernon Barracks. Nottingham Township has looked into establishing its own police force in years past. They have also investigated coverage by neighboring police departments, but both alternatives were just too costly to be supported by municipal taxes, according to Board Chairman Raymond Barley. Another aspect of public safety in Nottingham that has worked out fairly well, says Barley, is fire protection. The township get fire support from three different fire departments, North Strabane, Finleyville and Valley Inn.
Barley says the total cost to Nottingham is $5,600 per year, which he feels is a good deal for the township, and the service is based on 3-year agreements with each fire department. Concerning the legislature’s effort to charge municipalities hefty fees for State Police patrols, Barley said the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) is fighting the proposed bill vigorously. Their efforts are apparently working, because the bill has been stuck in committee since June, and it is not known if or when it will make it to the floor of the General Assembly. A valid argument for PSATS is that the Pennsylvania State Police is already provided for adequately by taxes from the Commonwealth’s citizens. An obvious reason for their very existence in the first place is to provide public safety and protection services for citizens and municipalities throughout the state where local law enforcement is not available. Barley said that about four years ago, the legislature tried to pass a similar bill, which would have applied to municipalities over 10,000 that did not have local police departments. That bill got stuck in committee and died there, so he and the other Nottingham supervisors are cautiously optimistic that this new bill will meet the same fate.
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