Gov. Tom Wolf on June 11 called for support for legislation that will impose a fee to municipalities that do not have a local police department and rely solely on State Police for local police coverage.

He appeared with members of the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) as well as legislative backers of the measure.

“We all want safe communities,” Wolf said. “That means adequate police protection and structurally sound roads and bridges. But right now, some municipalities are not paying their fair share for police protection, and to compensate for that deficit, money is being taken from the Motor License Fund that would otherwise go to our roads and bridges.”

Senate Bill 741, sponsored by state Sen. Jay Costa, D-Allegheny, and House Bill 959, sponsored by state Rep. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, would assess a fee, calculated on a per-capita basis, on municipalities where the Pennsylvania State Police provides full-time local policing services.

Distressed municipalities and those in Act 47 status would be exempt from paying the fee.

Sturla said four-fifths of Pennsylvania residents pay for local police services, while one-fifth rely on the PSP at no direct cost. Those services are funded out of the Motor License Fund, which also funds road and bridge repair. Requiring municipalities to pay for local policing by the PSP would guarantee funding for local public safety while allowing for infrastructure improvements, backers said.

“The PSP is using Motor License Fund dollars to help fund those patrols and everyone is missing out on road and bridge repair projects that would improve public safety for all,” Sturla said. “Charging a reasonable fee for the exemplary service the PSP provides will give them the resources needed to provide those services while preserving public safety.”

Costa pointed out that more local governments have chosen to disband their police forces, creating greater demand on the state police.

“They upheld their oath to protect all of our citizens,” Costa said of the state police. “The problem in this funding stream is not with our brave men and women who are officers. But they are doing a new job now, and we need a fair, guaranteed revenue for their expanded scope.”

During its first year, according to a statement from the Wolf administration, the fee would raise an estimated $104 million for PSP operations.

Costa's bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Law and Justice. Sturla's bill has been referred to the state House Transportation Committee.