Ticket funding changes just fine

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July 15, 2012

Ticket funding changes just fine

New policy for revenue from PSP citations has little effect in region

Kathy Mellott kmellott@tribdem.com The Tribune-Democrat Sun Jul 15, 2012, 11:16 PM EDT

SOMERSET — A new initiative signed into law by Gov. Tom Corbett earlier this month cuts off revenue from traffic citations for hundreds of municipalities statewide, but likely will have little impact in the Cambria-Somerset region.

Beginning in September, Pennsylvania municipalities with populations greater than 3,000 that do not provide at least 40 hours per week of police protection will no longer receive half of the revenue from fines resulting from traffic citations issued by state police within their borders.

The impact locally will be greatest in Somerset Township, which stands to lose about $17,000 annually, and Portage Township, which received about $5,000 in state police fine revenue in 2010.

While the revenue loss to Somerset Township will not be a budget-buster, it’s just one more financial hit the municipality does not need, said Jack Biancotti, longtime secretary-treasurer.

“It’s getting increasingly harder to balance a budget. Funding has been cut at all levels,” he said.

Somerset and Portage townships have no local police protection and rely solely on state police.

While the hit will be smaller on Portage Township, it’s still a loss of revenue, said secretary Ruby Moore.

The law, authored by state Sen. Christine Tartaglione, D-Philadelphia, will pump nearly $7 million back into the state. Some of the extra money will be used for cadet training.

Part of the estimated revenue will come from traffic citations issued on interstate highways.

That money now will be dedicated to road and bridge repairs.

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Ticket funding changes just fine

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