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Pennsylvania State Senate
04/24/2024 10:52 AM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20230&cosponId=39079
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: January 3, 2023 02:37 PM
From: Senator Wayne Langerholc, Jr.
To: All Senate members
Subject: Capping Transfers from the Motor License Fund to the Pennsylvania State Police
 
Public safety is a core government service, and we must uphold investments to support our law enforcement, including the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). Our State Troopers deliver essential public safety services in all corners of the Commonwealth, which comprise of safety on our highways and bridges. However, the rising budget constraints at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) require a holistic response, such as capping transfers from the Motor License Fund (MLF) at $500 million to support PSP’s highway safety operations.
 
In 2001-2002, PSP received nearly $340 million from the MLF, which rapidly grew to $800 million in 2016-2017. The trendline of the MLF diversion was projected to reach $1 billion, until the General Assembly passed the 2016 Fiscal Code with a schedule to decrease the transfer over a 10-year period to $500 million. (At the same time, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee produced a report suggesting an appropriate amount was $500 million annually.) The General Assembly was successful in the ensuing budgets with reducing the MLF transfer and supporting PSP out of the General Fund.
 
Legislative leaders took bold action in the last budget cycle by accelerating the 2016 Fiscal Code and transferring $500 million to PSP (when the original plan called for $641 million). We must uphold this level of stewardship, which is why my legislation will cap the transfer at $500 million in perpetuity. The General Fund will continue to absorb additional costs for law enforcement services. As our revenue outlook improves, I believe we can lower the transfers even further to properly invest in our highway and bridge network.
 
Please join me in co-sponsoring this fiscally responsible measure to ensure our gas tax is committed to improving transportation infrastructure in the Keystone State.
 


Introduced as SB121