Mahoney resolution supports police
State Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-South Union Twp., is waiting to see if his resolution to add $100 million from gambling revenues to the state police budget will be called for a vote in the state house.
Mahoney said the resolution received strong early support from his colleagues, but that doesn’t guarantee that it will be brought to the floor for a vote.
“If the majority party doesn’t want to deal with this, they won’t even call it up for a vote,” Mahoney said. “I can’t see anyone voting against it. It’s for public safety.”
Mahoney said he is hoping the resolution makes it to the house docket within the next few weeks, before Gov. Tom Corbett presents his budget address in early February.
“Everybody wants to bury their heads in the sand and pretend we don’t have these two problems: the shortage of state police and the drug epidemic,” Mahoney said. “In his budget address, he should recognize these two problems. That’s why I’m introducing the resolution at this time.”
Resolutions are non-binding suggestions to get the governor’s attention to do something in a positive way, Mahoney said. Mahoney said the state police are currently underfunded and understaffed and in rural Pennsylvania in areas such as Fayette County, the state police provide 92 percent of the police coverage.
“We need to start addressing the heroin problem in rural Pennsylvania and all across the state, and this is a big step in doing that,” Mahoney said.
The state police budget appropriation is currently $195 million. Mahoney is proposing taking $100 million of the estimated $156 million that will be generated by the new state law expanding small games of chance to taverns and adding it to the state police budget.
“We have $156 million extra dollars starting next year. Something has to be done. There is a shortage across the state for the state police.
“We’re taking revenue from gaming and adding it to the quality of life,” Mahoney said.
“I don’t think it should go to the general fund. I think it should go toward public safety.”