FRANKSTOWN TOWNSHIP, BLAIR COUNTY – There could be a new unintended consequence of the pension debate.
Lawmakers in Harrisburg are still arguing over what the best way to fund the pension debt. The combined unfunded liability of the state employees’ retirement system and the public school employees’ retirement system currently totals more than $53 billion. And now the state police are saying if one plan goes through it could affect public safety.
Tuesday the President of the State Troopers Association testified that more than 1,000 troopers could be off the streets over this pension battle. The House State Government Committee listened to testimony about a plan put forward by Senator Jake Corman. Current employees would have to pay more money if they wanted to keep their current pension benefits.
Trooper Joseph Kovel testified before that committee Tuesday. He told the committee that more than a thousand troopers that are eligible for early retirement might take that option rather than see changes to their current pension plan. He said “A large mass exodus of our most experienced and senior troopers will have a long term and immediately devastating impact on our ability to sustain even the most rudimentary public safety services.” Kovel said the move might even lead to closing some of the barracks.
Many communities in our region like Frankstown Township in Blair County don’t have their own police force and depend on the State Police. And Township Supervisor George Henry says the State Police have always served them well, even during a major crisis like when three people were killed in December of 2012.
Henry and fellow supervisor Ken Wertz would be concerned to see that many troopers leave at once, but they trust the state to get those numbers back up.
Some people that live in the township like Attorney Mark Zearfaus aren’t worries about it. He says there will still be younger officers on the force ready to fill the spots of the troopers that are retiring.
Kovel is asking lawmakers to make state troopers exempt from this pension change.
Lawmakers in Harrisburg are still arguing over what the best way to fund the pension debt. The combined unfunded liability of the state employees’ retirement system and the public school employees’ retirement system currently totals more than $53 billion. And now the state police are saying if one plan goes through it could affect public safety.
Tuesday the President of the State Troopers Association testified that more than 1,000 troopers could be off the streets over this pension battle. The House State Government Committee listened to testimony about a plan put forward by Senator Jake Corman. Current employees would have to pay more money if they wanted to keep their current pension benefits.
Trooper Joseph Kovel testified before that committee Tuesday. He told the committee that more than a thousand troopers that are eligible for early retirement might take that option rather than see changes to their current pension plan. He said “A large mass exodus of our most experienced and senior troopers will have a long term and immediately devastating impact on our ability to sustain even the most rudimentary public safety services.” Kovel said the move might even lead to closing some of the barracks.
Many communities in our region like Frankstown Township in Blair County don’t have their own police force and depend on the State Police. And Township Supervisor George Henry says the State Police have always served them well, even during a major crisis like when three people were killed in December of 2012.
Henry and fellow supervisor Ken Wertz would be concerned to see that many troopers leave at once, but they trust the state to get those numbers back up.
Some people that live in the township like Attorney Mark Zearfaus aren’t worries about it. He says there will still be younger officers on the force ready to fill the spots of the troopers that are retiring.
Kovel is asking lawmakers to make state troopers exempt from this pension change.