Auditor General DePasquale Announces Release of $350.5 Million in Aid for Municipal Pensions, Volunteer Firefighters Statewide
Auditor General DePasquale Announces Release of $350.5 Million in Aid for Municipal Pensions, Volunteer Firefighters Statewide
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ERIE (Oct. 5, 2017) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today said he has released $350.5 million in municipal pension and volunteer firefighters’ relief association funds, which will help support emergency services and retirement plans for those who dedicated their careers to public service.
“These funds are vital to helping volunteer firefighters save lives and to protect property,” DePasquale said. “This money will benefit communities across the state by helping to purchase life-saving equipment, fund critical training and provide insurance for thousands of volunteer firefighters and emergency service providers.
“The pension aid is critical to help maintain retirement funds for dedicated police officers, paid firefighters and other public servants. Without this aid, communities would have to rely on local taxes to make up the difference.”
As part of the 2017 allocation, 2,521 municipalities in 66 counties received $60.6 million in fire relief association funding for distribution to the volunteer firefighters’ relief associations providing fire services to their communities.
Another $289.9 million in state pension aid went to 1,479 municipalities and regionals to aid in funding their local government pension plans, which cover police officers, paid firefighters and municipal workers. The funding was distributed before the Oct. 1 deadline.
The state municipal pension and volunteer firefighters’ relief association aid comes from a 2 percent tax on out-of-state casualty and fire insurance premiums. The Department of the Auditor General distributes the funds to municipalities for police, paid firefighter and municipal employee pension plans. The volunteer firefighters’ relief association funds are allocated from municipalities to various volunteer firefighters’ relief associations designated to serve their communities.
The Department of the Auditor General audits volunteer firefighters’ relief associations and local government pension plans.
A report detailing the amount of state pension aid distributed to each municipality and funding for VFRAs is available online using this link: www.PaAuditor.gov.
DePasquale said these eight municipalities did not submit the required paperwork to receive their VFRA and/or pension funding:
- Verona Borough, Allegheny County;
- Midland Borough, Beaver County;
- Lawrence Park Township, Erie County;
- Timblin Borough, Jefferson County;
- Southern Regional Police, Lancaster County;
- Green Lane Borough, Montgomery County;
- Green Hills Borough, Washington County; and
- Yorkana Borough, York County.
“I encourage these municipalities to complete the necessary forms online so they can receive their rightful share of VFRA and pension funds. They are entitled to aid that could help their residents,” DePasquale said.
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