Proposed new CA Law to tie traffic fines to income

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Doug C

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NEW CALIFORNIA LAW WANTS TO TIE TRAFFIC FINES TO INCOME

8:46:00 AM


California lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow the state to base traffic fines on your income. The more you earn, the higher the fine and the less you make, the less you pay. State Senator Robert. M. Herzberg's bill would give poor drivers a break while "wealthy drivers" would still pay the full fine for the same traffic infraction.

California, not surprisingly, has some of the highest traffic fines in the country and nearly 10 billion dollars in unpaid fines are currently on the books. Hertzberg, who represents the San Fernando Valley, thinks fines are too high and this is unfair to low-income families and minorities. The bill would also allow drivers with unpaid fines to keep their license, regardless of how many unpaid traffic violations they might have.

The problem comes not because of the base fine, but from the additional charges. In recent years California has added fees, surcharges, and penalty assessments to traffic fines, meaning a $35 traffic ticket can actually cost nearly $150, a red light camera ticket can set you back upwards of $500 after all the fees and surcharges. This bill would require that courts assess fines and fees based on a person's ability to pay.

Opponents of the bill say fees, taxes, and surcharges are too high across the board, and that this bill simply gives a pass to people who aren't paying their fines anyways. In addition, they fear that determining each defendant's income will tie up the courts unnecessarily and it will allow potentially unsafe drivers to keep their licenses and remain on the road.
 
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