LETTER: Canton should pay for full-time police department
Canton should pay for full-time police department
In response to Deb Kelley (July 27), who is not in favor of Canton Township setting up its own police department and raising taxes to support the cost: the letter writer fails to understand the reason for taxes and benefits they provide for health, wealth and safety.
Canton, unlike its neighboring municipalities of Chartiers, Washington and North Franklin, has been using Pennsylvania State Police with no charge to the township. State police costs are supported by state taxes on earnings, various purchases and utilities. While Canton residents may feel they are entitled to free service for part-time service, it can be seen that they and all their neighbors are paying into the state police budget. Townships have the option to use state police as a temporary service. Today, that is a poor option when full time is a better benefit.
Perhaps those residents who do not support their own full-time police department for a small tax increase need to realize a small raise in the township’s property tax could mean a life saved, a speeder caught, a person or dog found – swiftly. Police familiarize themselves with the local residents, where they live and the cars they drive. Police are given the duty to place speeding strips, monitor intersections with stop signs and make arrests for violations of local laws. They are professionals and your community friend, caring about those for whom they work.
Canton extends from West Chestnut Street (Route 40), across Jefferson Avenue (Route 844) to Henderson Avenue (Route 18 North), near the Washington County fairgrounds. Consider families bordering these three state roads pay Canton a property tax for road maintenance on township roads, not the state roads. Further, Canton uses the new LST tax that was approved for municipalities to use 25 percent of their annual collection for emergency services, such as police and fire. The tax rate is $52 annually by all employed within the township who meet the tax obligation of earning more than $12,000 a year and deducted by the employer no matter where the employee resides.
There are a lot of reasons why Canton’s board of supervisors should provide the most needed of safety services – full-time police. It gives homeowners and businesses security and better property values, not to mention the safety to be enjoyed by all residents and customers within the township.
Joann Diesel
North Franklin Township