Last month, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale announced the release of $328.2 million to 1,497 municipalities supporting retirement plans for firefighters, police officers and municipal workers.
Both the pension and VFRA aid were paid for by a two percent tax on out-of-state companies selling fire and casualty insurance policies in Pennsylvania.
Lebanon County municipalities will receive more than $2 million as part of this disbursement.
“We all count on firefighters and police when there is an emergency,” DePasquale said during a Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association meeting on Oct. 28. “They need to be able to count on us to help provide the resources they need to save lives and—when the time comes—to receive the pensions they earned through their hard work.”
The release represents an increase of nearly $30 million compared to last year’s allocation of $299.1 million in state aid. The year-over-year increase in aid for Lebanon County municipalities is just under $200,000.
“This money is essential to help preserve the pension plans of people who dedicate their careers to public service,” said DePasquale in a press release. “Without this state aid, local taxpayers would have to make up the difference to honor the commitments made to police, firefighters and other municipal workers.”
State aid for firefighter pension funds only apply to paid departments. In early October, DePasquale announced nearly $60 million in aid to volunteer firefighters across the state through volunteer firefighters’ relief associations (VFRAs). Lebanon County’s volunteer departments received a combined total of $765,375.
Here’s how Lebanon County’s combined aid (pension and FRA) is being distributed among its 26 municipalities:
| Municipality | Pension | FRA |
| Annville Township | $97,289.48 | $22,635.48 |
| Bethel Township | $15,361.49 | $37,077.72 |
| Cleona Borough | $46,498.46 | $10,880.08 |
| Cold Spring Township | $418.54 | |
| Cornwall Borough | $87,048.48 | $28,377.75 |
| East Hanover Township | $8,799.95 | $19,778.19 |
| Heidelberg Township | $28,623.12 | |
| Jackson Township | $25,602.49 | $57,069.04 |
| Jonestown Borough | $8,876.77 | |
| Lebanon City | $686,146.87 | $72,160.01 |
| Millcreek Township | $40,963.99 | $25,939.20 |
| Mt. Gretna Borough | $21,806.37 | $2,277.78 |
| Myerstown Borough | $56,325.48 | $14,508.58 |
| North Annville Township | $17,672.70 | |
| North Cornwall Township | $122,891.97 | $48,346.02 |
| North Lebanon Township | $209,940.46 | $64,931.64 |
| North Londonderry Township | $179,217.46 | $54,791.13 |
| Palmyra Borough | $158,735.47 | $40,004.78 |
| Richland Borough | $10,240.99 | $8,053.27 |
| South Annville Township | $23,275.39 | |
| South Lebanon Township | $128,012.47 | $61,332.58 |
| South Londonderry Township | $158,735.47 | $49,892.77 |
| Swatara Township | $15,741.57 | $27,569.01 |
| Union Township | $19,330.92 | $21,915.47 |
| West Cornwall Township | $5,120.49 | $14,705.19 |
| West Lebanon Township | $4,262.51 |
Relief funding can be used to cover a number of general expenses, including administrative and equipment costs, insurance, member benefits and training. Access the entire list of allowed expenses here.
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