HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) -
Dressed in blue uniforms, Pennsylvania State Police cadets marched to hear green is coming. Governor Tom Corbett stood in front of nearly 200 cadets Monday afternoon to explain a new revenue stream.
"It provides millions of dollars annually for your strong training. It does so without a tax increase. In a way it directs the services to the citizens of our state," Corbett said. "My goodness, it's common sense."
Corbett said Senate Bill 237 that amended Title 42 (Liquid Fuels Tax Municipal Allocation) took effect in September. A shared portion of municipality fees on speeding tickets and other citations will funnel into a large pot to pay for cadet classes.
Earlier this year, State Police Commissioner Fran Noonan was among many legislators and law enforcement that stressed a "dire" need for more troopers. Due to mass retirement, state troopers are leaving faster than can be replaced.
Many feared funding to pay for added troopers would put Pennsylvania's public safety in jeopardy. One-hundred-and-one cadets will graduate this winter and 78 more will finish training next spring. However, state police still project around 500 vacancies next year.
Noonan said there is no way to tell how many cadets can be recruited with the new revenue stream until December when the first figures trickle in.
"Whatever it's going to be, it's going to be millions of dollars, and hopefully that will continue to give us a funding stream that will keep cadets coming to the academy," Noonan said.
Before the amended bill took effect last month, Noonan was faced with harsh budgetary decisions like closing down the Ephrata barracks. Noonan would not say if the new revenue stream would prevent such closures in the future. Instead, the commissioner and governor maintained they couldn't look into a crystal ball.
"It all depends on our complement numbers," Noonan said. "That's something that [State Police will] face in the middle. I have no plans canceling any stations with state police at this moment."
Troopers can file for partial retirement after 20 years; full retirement after 25 years. The average starting salary is $58,211 a year. That figure may change with new labor contract discussions.
