THERE’S PROFIT BUT IT’S NOT FINE (Guest Post, Daily Spin)
l3wis Speed limits around town have been ridiculously lowered. In particular, Kiwanis & west 12th. The minimum fine for school zones is very high.
I think the mayor realizes his half billion budget can’t happen. Indeed, it’s hard to justify for a city with a population of 160k and debt hovering at half a billion. Traffic ticket revenue is not supposed to go toward project follies but funds are easily redirected by strong mayor (you know, the CEO or Dictator of our city).
Before, there was a citations fine campaign. Citizens ignored yellow slips cowardly posted without proper service somewhere on their property. Often, it was for something most in the neighborhood did but they weren’t cited. Per ordinances there’s no appeal into court and no way to collect a fine. I learned to keep them occupied with hearings and lawyer contractors but then not pay them. What’s resulted is more code enforcers and more planning and zoning involvement. Lots of people with big salaries and golden benefits. The business man mayor created more overhead with no revenue gain.
No doubt you’ll get a speeding ticket doing 40 in a 30 on Kiwanis. In drive, most cars at idle do 35. Others will pass and honk. It’s unsafe if you can’t travel with the flow. Police easily issue a hundred tickets for a hundred dollars in half an hour. Try doing 30 on north Western. The lights are timed for 35 and you’ll miss all of them.
Traffic tickets are a serious moving violation. Do not ignore them. A solution for curbing ticket revenue is go to court. Clog the courts. Police must appear or the case is dismissed. Keep them in court so they’re not out issuing tickets. Often, a judge will lower the fine. Make it so city litigation costs is more than revenue.
Lowering speed limits slows commerce. If I can’t get enough places soon enough, I’ll spend less. Riding your brakes leads to repairs. You use more gas. End result is less sales tax budget revenue because the local economy slows.
When public fund contract awards makes a mayor rich, he spends little time in traffic. At some point someone at the city should realize the tickets method is not a revenue gain.
The next mayor will have more common sense. The businessman mayor hasn’t worked. How about a housewife who manages a meager family income? One who pays off the credit card monthly and keeps debt under control.
