Family Life

03.18.09 | Terry Diener

A group of Pennsylvania lawmakers is reviving a proposal to require municipalities that don't have police departments to pay fees for state police protection. A western Pennsylvania legislator who has proposed such a bill before says there are two reasons he thinks the time is ripe to reintroduce it.

State Representative John Pallone says Governor Ed Rendell said in his budget address he would consider the idea. Mr. Pallone also said the threat of a $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion budget deficit will give the proposal more traction. Opponents argue local governments are already struggling and the fees would cause worse financial problems.