Local lawmaker wants to put $25 fee on property sales to fund first responders

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It seems more and more volunteer fire departments are looking for money to stay open and keep you safe. Now, a local state representative is planning to introduce legislation next month to get more money into their coffers.

State Rep. Anita Kulik from the 45th district wants to turn property sales into funding for VFD and EMS crews.

"It should not be anything a buyer or seller can go, 'oh my gosh, this is such a huge fee.' It's a very small fee," she said over the phone.

That small $25 fee from the seller and buyer would be $50 total for local first responders.

"I really don't think people realize how very expensive it is just to keep those people safe in order to do their jobs to keep us safe," Kulik told KDKA.

Crescent Township Volunteer Fire Chief Dan Muller said any money for his firefighters is welcomed, but he questioned if this will really help smaller communities like his. Crescent Township has about 2,000 residents.

"We're pretty much a bedroom kind of community. There's not a lot of commercial transactions," Muller said.

He feels this would be more beneficial for growing and more populated neighborhoods, like some in the North Hills.

"Quite a bit of people moving in. A lot of new construction up there," Muller said.

Kulik understands his concern and said this is intended to be supplemental revenue to any grants the department gets or fundraising they do.

"It can be great additions to the funding these departments receive," Kulik said.

She is currently looking for co-sponsors for the bill. She hopes to introduce it in the state House in May.