Jim Thorpe Borough Council backed two resolutions last week that support the use of radar by local police and the removal of a cap on small games of chance prize money.

Pennsylvania remains the only state where local police officers can't use radar during speed enforcement, but bipartisan legislation has again been introduced to make the change."We need it," Jim Thorpe Police Chief Joe Schatz said when speaking about radar. "There are a lot of places where we can't use our VASCAR (Visual Average Speed Computer And Recorder), because of sight lines and distances. It would be a big help for municipal departments across the state."Opponents of the bill, like the National Motorist Association, argue that allowing local police to use radar will result in more speed traps for cash-strapped municipalities.As it is currently written, however, the bill would cap a municipality at generating no more than 20 percent of its revenue from fines.Jim Thorpe Mayor Michael Sofranko said there is often a misconception about how much money municipalities generate from speeding tickets."While the fine is over $100, we get $12.50 per ticket," he said during a meeting last year.According to federal data from 2013, 45 percent of Pennsylvania's traffic fatalities are speeding related, compared with the national average of 29 percent.Last year, the state senate approved a bill 47-3 that would have allowed local police to use radar, but the House session ended before it got a vote.Small Games capThe current Small Games of Chance law limits private, social and nonprofit clubs to total weekly prize winnings of up to $35,000.State Rep. Dan Moul, Adams County, proposed a bill to remove the prize limit last year and it passed the House."The point of this is to help nonprofit organizations with their fundraisers," borough Manager Maureen Sterner said."Fire companies in particular were hit hard when gambling became legal. Limiting prize money is not in their favor."Since the inception of the law in 2012, the weekly prize limit has been increased once, from $25,000 to $35,000.But for many organizations, it's still small stakes compared to what a casino can offer."The one thing I would warn you about this," Sofranko told council, "is that fire companies can put together a bingo for $35,000, but a casino can put together a bingo for $1 million. That possibility would be out there for anybody if the cap is removed."Only Councilman Curtis Jackson voted against the resolution.