Large Sarge
20th June 2010, 10:22 AM
◄$$$ HIGHWAY ROBBERY NEXT COMES IN THE FORM OF TRAFFIC TICKETS. POLICE ACTIONS MIGHT BE BETTER DESCRIBED AS ARBITRARY EXTORTION BY MEN IN UNIFORM CARRYING A BADGE & GUN. PENALTIES SOMETIMES ARE ATTACHED FOR UNSUCESSFUL COURT CHALLENGES, A HIDDEN DETERRENT FOR ANY DEFENSE. STATES AND CITIES ARE DESPERATE FOR FUNDS. $$$
Call it Highway Robbery or just a Motorist Tax, extortion by any other name. Either way, states and cities are desperate to bridge the gaps in their budgets, and have resorted to arbitrary extortion complete with deterrents to court challenges. They are using methods to ratchet up its revenues by unorthodox means sometimes described as fascist. An article by Radley Balko in Reason magazine entitled "The Motorist Tax" provides eye-opening detail. He wrote, "California has added a $26 Penalty Assessment for every $10 of some traffic fines. The assessment can turn an already steep $70 fine for not wearing a seat belt into a nearly $200 citation. A red light infraction can run as high as $500... In Virginia in March, state police carried out Operation Air Land & Speed, a mass ticket writing campaign explicitly aimed at bridging the state's $2.2 billion budget shortfall as well as helping the state apply for federal highway safety grants. The campaign issued nearly 7000 tickets in three days... In the Old Dominion [Virginia], going as little as 10 mph over the speed limit can trigger a Reckless Driving charge and a $2500 fine... Indianapolis, meanwhile, is trying to protect revenue from traffic fines by discouraging motorists from fighting unfair tickets. The city has taken to slapping administrative penalties of $500 to $2500 on motorists who unsuccessfully challenge traffic citations in court." What is next? Applications broadly of RICO laws to seize homes of those committing minor felonies and misdemeanors?
A friend told me of a personal experience in his hometown in Arizona. He said in the 1960 decade, he recalls a contest among police officers to write up tickets. The city had to bridge a budget gap in less than one month. They corralled the traffic cops in a conference room, explained the need, and offered a Hawaiian trip as prize to the #1 extortionist. The ploy worked very well. He said in smaller towns in Texas, a common practice is to create speed traps designed by sudden reductions in posted speed limits, and a cop waiting on the other end with a radar gun. (donut and coffee too). Texas is legendary for such revenue enhancement devices.
Call it Highway Robbery or just a Motorist Tax, extortion by any other name. Either way, states and cities are desperate to bridge the gaps in their budgets, and have resorted to arbitrary extortion complete with deterrents to court challenges. They are using methods to ratchet up its revenues by unorthodox means sometimes described as fascist. An article by Radley Balko in Reason magazine entitled "The Motorist Tax" provides eye-opening detail. He wrote, "California has added a $26 Penalty Assessment for every $10 of some traffic fines. The assessment can turn an already steep $70 fine for not wearing a seat belt into a nearly $200 citation. A red light infraction can run as high as $500... In Virginia in March, state police carried out Operation Air Land & Speed, a mass ticket writing campaign explicitly aimed at bridging the state's $2.2 billion budget shortfall as well as helping the state apply for federal highway safety grants. The campaign issued nearly 7000 tickets in three days... In the Old Dominion [Virginia], going as little as 10 mph over the speed limit can trigger a Reckless Driving charge and a $2500 fine... Indianapolis, meanwhile, is trying to protect revenue from traffic fines by discouraging motorists from fighting unfair tickets. The city has taken to slapping administrative penalties of $500 to $2500 on motorists who unsuccessfully challenge traffic citations in court." What is next? Applications broadly of RICO laws to seize homes of those committing minor felonies and misdemeanors?
A friend told me of a personal experience in his hometown in Arizona. He said in the 1960 decade, he recalls a contest among police officers to write up tickets. The city had to bridge a budget gap in less than one month. They corralled the traffic cops in a conference room, explained the need, and offered a Hawaiian trip as prize to the #1 extortionist. The ploy worked very well. He said in smaller towns in Texas, a common practice is to create speed traps designed by sudden reductions in posted speed limits, and a cop waiting on the other end with a radar gun. (donut and coffee too). Texas is legendary for such revenue enhancement devices.