Cops cost money.

Simply put, it’s a fact of life for local governments struggling to protect citizens and hold the line on property taxes.

But a Lehigh Valley lawmaker is proposing a way to ease that burden by allowing municipalities to put in place a new tax dedicated solely to public safety.

Rep. Joshua Siegel, D-22, hopes his plan to have local governments put in place a levy up to 5 mills that would defer the cost of providing police protection.

When the General Assembly reconvenes next month, Siegel says he’ll introduce the proposal, which communities could use to raise revenue that might help start or bolster a police force or pay toward purchasing coverage from a neighboring or regional department.

Siegel said the plan, if signed into law, could make it more flexible for communities to be able to prioritize public, as well as municipal services. In effect, it would be a workaround for cities, boroughs and townships to raise funds beyond statutory tax limits.

The hurdle local governments face is that limit. Boroughs in Pennsylvania are capped at 30 mills of real estate taxes for general purposes.

Already, though, some tack on additional millage to cover other costs.

Take Lansford, for example, where millage is set at 36.84.

Its residents face the highest tax rates in Carbon County. That consists of 30 mills for general purposes, 1.28 mills for debt service, 1.5 mills for fire equipment and firehouses, 0.5 mills for pensions and retirement benefits, 2.81 mills for streetlights and 0.75 mills for recreation.

Of the $1.77 million spending plan borough officials outlined for 2025, $812,900 was set aside for police-related costs. That’s about 46% of collected revenue.

And they’re not alone.

There are more than 1,000 police departments in Pennsylvania — more than any other state — and just 15% of them have more than 10 officers.

Each of those departments and the communities they serve face issues similar to what we see here.

Municipal departments are often tasked with a truckload of added responsibilities, responding to parking issues, enforcing ordinances, or saving the life of a drug user.

That’s not to mention the rigors of everyday police duties like paperwork, interviews and court appearances.

Adding to the problem is that when these communities don’t have police on duty — and sometimes when they do — state police are called to offer assistance or fill in the gaps.

But state police are strained, too, covering areas where no police departments exist. Despite recent attempts to bolster their numbers by lowering admission requirements, the number of cadets coming out of the state police academy still hasn’t fulfilled the need.

Troopers cover areas significantly larger than municipal police. Their response times are markedly longer when it comes to calls that aren’t necessarily emergencies.

And they’re relatively cost-free in places without their own departments.

All things considered, Siegel’s proposal may have some value in some municipalities not limited by caps on tax levies.

The added millage might help add an officer or two to an already established force, where property owners already try to pay taxes with their own limited resources.

But it’s not an end-all solution to a problem that’s been brewing for years.

Instead, local officials might look to other sources that more evenly distribute the cost of coverage.

Some suggest legislation to make counties responsible for providing police services. In some states, it’s successful.

Others have put forth offering incentives to regionalize services.

In late October, Jennifer Staines, a Lansford council member, approached Nesquehoning council members to gauge interest in beginning talks about regional police services that would include Summit Hill and Coaldale.

There hasn’t been any word on the status of those talks. Hopefully, they’re continuing.

As costs for all the departments continue to increase and limited revenue sources shrink, it’s incumbent on local leaders to find ways to fund local law enforcement if they choose to keep it alive. They need to reduce staffing churn, where qualified officers move from job to job in search of a more secure financial future.

And residents need to realize that short staffed departments can’t immediately respond to everyone’s beck and call about parking violations or noise complaints.

Today’s police face dangers and situations like never before.

But cops cost money.

Whether at the state or local level, officials need to find some before it’s too late.

ED SOCHA |tneditor@tnonline.com