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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2025 - 2026
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 10, 2024 09:50 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Chris Pielli |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Allowing All Second Class Townships to Increase Funding for Fire and Emergency Services |
| Pennsylvania firefighters and emergency medical service (EMS) workers continue to struggle with a lack of sustainable funding. These funding struggles can result in staffing shortages and increased response times. To help address these issues, Act 54 of 2024 included provisions that would allow certain townships of the second class, contiguous to a city of the first class, to institute annual taxes to go toward the staffing, equipment, and training costs of fire companies and emergency services that serve or are within the township. While I believe this is a step in the right direction, this option should also be extended to all townships of the second class. To increase support for fire companies and emergency services, I plan to introduce legislation that would increase the annual tax limit, which can be set through an ordinance, to provide increased funding for fire and emergency services in all counties of the second class. This legislation would provide all second class townships with the powers established for only certain second class townships by Act 54 of 2024. Fire companies and emergency services exist to serve and protect all Pennsylvania residents, and they need proper funding to carry out their responsibilities. This legislation is a simple but important step in increasing funding for our first responders. Please join me in supporting this legislation to provide second class townships greater ability to increase funding for fire companies and emergency services, because every dollar counts if it goes towards saving lives. |