Budget shortfall prompting new state police charge

Dingman — “Pennsylvania is desperate for money; they are $3 billion in the hole. The individual townships shouldn’t be forced to have their own police force,” Township Supervisors Chair Tom Mincer complained at Tuesday’s supervisors meeting. Mincer was referring to House Bill 1500 which would require townships to pay for state police services. This would amount to $156 per resident. “We wouldn’t be getting an increase in state police service, just paying more.” In townships of over 10,000 people which don’t have their own police force, the township fees would be $56 the first year, $104 the second year and $156 the third year for each resident. There are approximately 12,000 residents in Dingman which equates to $1,872,000 in extra money that would have to go to the Commonwealth, if the measure passes. According to Township Secretary Karen Kleist the total budget for Dingman is $1.5 million and this would effectively double the amount of taxes Dingman Township would have to collect from every home or property owner. According to Kleist 70 percent of Dingman Township is in private communities where the police don’t even patrol. Mincer said that the Eastern Pike Regional Police Department, which has two cars and two police officers all the time, spends less than half that amount. Mincer said he doesn’t think the bill will pass and that our elected officials at the county and state levels are going to oppose House Bill 1500.