Sen. Toomey Leads Budget Hearing On Directing More Money To Crime Victims
By Kristen Johanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Local advocates and officials testified at a US Senate Budget hearing today before Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey at Villanova Law School.
It was all to call for an increase of money available to victims of crime.
Abbie Newman is CEO for Montgomery County's Child Advocacy Center. She testified before Senator Toomey, calling for more money to assist victims of crime.
"We need to build more CACs across the state. Just this year, we have seen an increase at mission kids of 40 percent."
At the hearing, Senator Toomey reiterated his proposal to increase the money from the Crime Victim's Fund.
The national fund essentially collects Federal fines, paid by convicts and then is given to support services.
Toomey says he wants to cut through red tape and have the average money for the last three years, to be directly contributed to the fund.
But Democrats say since the fund is solely dependent on penalties and not supported by tax dollars, it can fluctuate year to year, which could leave many support services uncertain of their future.