Another Arrow in Swann's Arsenal

This is a Red November Initiative Post!

This is absolutley insane!!

Rendell calls Perzel's proposal for hiring police too expensive
He said Pa. couldn't afford its $225 million share. Even so, he added, he looks forward to working on the "interesting" plan.
By Mario F. Cattabiani
Inquirer Staff Writer

HARRISBURG - Gov. Rendell said yesterday that a $225 million proposal by House Speaker John M. Perzel for the state to help hire 10,000 police officers in Pennsylvania cities and towns was too expensive.

"I have always had a policy of not spending money that we don't have. We don't have that money," Rendell said.

He also questioned whether municipalities and counties, which the plan would require to pay half the cost for each new officer, could afford it.

"That's just not feasible. Those numbers are not going to be there. Most counties and cities will not be able to use it," said Rendell, who nonetheless called the idea "an interesting proposal" that he looked forward to working on with Perzel.

Rendell's public comments, his first on the proposal, took Perzel (R., Phila.) by surprise.

"He was shocked to hear it," said Al Bowman, Perzel's press secretary. Every indication so far from the governor's office has been positive, he said.

Perzel's plan, announced Monday, calls for the state to cover half the cost of hiring as many as 10,000 municipal officers by 2010. Counties would have to kick in 30 percent of the cost and municipalities 20 percent.

Bowman said Rendell did not fully understand the idea. Specifically, he pointed to a provision that would allow municipalities to use federal funding to cover their required match.

Over the next four years, the program, if enacted, could fund as many as 1,345 officers in Philadelphia - a nearly 20 percent increase from today.

Perzel proposes to fund the first year of the program with $60 million earmarked for as-yet-unfilled state jobs. In subsequent years, the money would be part of the state budget. Once fully implemented, the plan is projected to cost the state $225 million annually.

The House is expected to consider the legislation Sept. 26 when it meets to consider only anticrime matters.

Despite Rendell's comments yesterday, Perzel remained optimistic.

"We are still going to move forward," Bowman said. "We believe 10,000 police officers are needed, and we are not quitting."


Contact staff writer Mario F. Cattabiani at 717-787-5990 or mcattabiani@phillynews.com. Inquirer staff writer Angela Couloumbis contributed to this article.