Suffolk County - The New Soviet Union?
According to a November 17th Newsday article, “Suffolk lawmakers seek to end fees on not-guilty traffic tickets”. People who have a traffic ticket dismissed are currently required to pay an administrative fee to cover the costs of administering the ticket.
In one case (according to Newsday) a person was given a ticket for driving and not having insurance, he provided proof of insurance at Suffolk’s Traffic & Parking Violations Bureau, and the ticket was dismissed. What remained was a $50 administrative fee. Again, according to the article this is routine. Administrative fees of $30 or $50 are levied on almost every ticket regardless of outcome. Innocent and guilty alike must pay up.
This reminds me of a story told by a friend of mine who emigrated from the Soviet Union. Explaining how the Soviet government operated he told a story of a relative who was taken by the Soviet authorities for questioning. Consequently, he was unjustly charged with a crime and sentenced to death by a firing squad. The family, poor and now fatherless, received a bill from the Soviet Government for the “administrative” cost of executing the man.
The Suffolk County Traffic Violations Bureau opened in April and it provided Suffolk County a much needed “new” revenue stream. The same for the red-light cameras (projected revenue from red-light cameras is $18 million with $5 million from processing fees.)
It seems that our County Legislators have found a new way to budget. Not a tax, it’s an administrative fee. They are allowed to pursue this type of shenanigan when; 1. Voters don’t see jeopardy for themselves. Someone violated the law they should pay mentality. 2. Government officials do not fully disclose the implications of legislation to the public. 3. Government officials don’t fully explore the impact of the legislation. If it sounds good and no one is speaking up in opposition than just do it. 4. The public puts too much trust and power in the hands of legislators.
Suffolk County’s Traffic & Parking Violations Bureau may be a good thing for the County. Red-light cameras may be a good thing. Making huge amounts of money from the person who has a brake light out, or doesn’t have a seat belt on or doesn’t have their identification with them is wrong and it should be unacceptable. The county must amend the legislation that allows administrative fees on dismissed tickets. The County should issue refunds of administrative fees to those who had their tickets dismissed.
But it needs to go further. Someone needs to explain how the legislation passed through the Legislature and County Executive’s office with the “unintended” consequences of ripping off constituents. The administrative fees generated by the Traffic & Violations Bureau should not exceed the cost of expenses to run the program. Budgeting thru administrative fees is not only no way to budget but it is demoralizing to constituents and undermining trust in our County legislators.
Someone needs to say “no” to penalizing people for living for on Long Island.
Pat