$20 traffic ticket? More like $150 - California

[Felicia]

I thought this may be of interest:

*********************
http://www.ocregister.com/news/fine-...tate-base.html

$20 traffic ticket? More like $150
By ALEJANDRA MOLINA and ANDREW GALVIN
2010-03-25 11:46:01

Craig Lowden says he was twirling his cell phone in his hand last November when he got pulled over in Westminster.

"I got a violation for holding the phone in my hand," said Lowden, 37, a Long Beach resident. "I'm going to fight it."

On a recent Monday morning, Lowden was one of dozens waiting in line at the traffic counter at the Westminster branch of Orange County Superior Court. He showed up to get a court date.

"When I went into court right now she (the judge) basically told me that it's against the law to actually hold it in your hand," he said. The judge said his fine would come to nearly $150. Paying that much would be a hassle, he said.

For a first offense, using a hand-held phone while driving is supposed to bring a $20 fine. But when state-mandated fees, surcharges and "penalty assessments" are tacked on, the total fine comes to more than seven times that amount.

The additional fees have been added by the state legislature over the years as a way to fund state and county programs and court costs.

The most recent increases came last year, when a $35 "conviction assessment" was tacked on to traffic tickets as part of a package of fee increases aimed at raising as much as $5 billion to construct and renovate 41 courthouses across the state

[uintahiker]

And after all this, California's still in the red?

Not to turn it political, but I forgot for a second that this is the state that elected Pelosi. It all makes sense now.

[Deathcricket]

Thanks Felicia! I found that very interesting. It seems another side effect of making tickets so high priced is crowded courts too. I mean if I had a ticket under $100 I'm probably less likely too fight it. But if every ticket in CA gets to $500 because of penalties and fees, I imagine a higher percentage of people are going to try and battle them. I bet lawyers and judges will be in more demand in the years to come. Expecially if they specialize in beating these types of tickets.

Another interesting factoid... My parents have a house in CA and UT. This year's car registration bill came to $550. Some new tax got implemented called " the heavy vehicle" tax or something like that. Since they spend equal time (being retired) in CA and UT they took that same car and registered it here in UT. The bill came to $175. And even the insurance was $500 a year cheaper. So just on one car that is $875 a year less they are paying. Granted it's a big truck they use for hauling toys around and not everyone has this (ford f150?), but I can imagine some people might consider selling their cars because registration is just too expensive on it.

I think CA is going to have some rough times ahead. On one hand I applaud them for trying to balance stuff and finding creative ways to do it. But we all know the money isn't going to be spent whrere it should, and cycle is just going to be perpetuated. And really the lower income people are just being crushed under this system. Pretty soon all that will be left in CA is illegal aliens and lawyers, haha.

[MY T PIMP]

I've decided that if I get another ticket I'll take the Jail time. One of my parents neighbor's a 70 year old farmer who had been burning his ditches every spring got a ticket last year for not having a permit. The permit was a new thing in the farming community and it's not like officials went out of there way to let the old farmers know it. He wadded up the ticket and threw it in the fire right in front of the cop. When he went to court he told the judge I'll just take the jail time. The judge was quite irate with the old farmer trying to talk him out of it and too just pay the fine. The old farmer replied I got the time I don't have the money. The judge threw out the case. I think in this situation Californians ought to opt out for jail and overcrowd the suckers and cost the state even more money.

[StudChild]

I think in this situation Californians ought to opt out for jail and overcrowd the suckers and cost the state even more money.

[Felicia]

I've decided that if I get another ticket I'll take the Jail time. ..... I think in this situation Californians ought to opt out for jail and overcrowd the suckers and cost the state even more money.

Unfortunately, you can't do jail time on almost all traffic tickets because they are infractions. The only penalty is a fine. Currently with the budget crisis, there is little opportunity to convert your fine to jail time or community service. California wants the money. If you can't pay all of the money due, you can apply for a payment plan, but you need to provide enough information in order for proper collection. Also, if the fine is converted to jail time or community service, only the fines can be converted, not the fees.

The article does not address the fact that if you are late in either appearing, or paying, a $300 civil assessment is added to the bill along with some other administrative fees.

Bottom line - don't get a ticket in CA. And if you do, DON'T let it go late.

As for the car registration fees, they were doubled this year. The problem with buying a new car, is the State taxes and fees are now astronomical. My friend paid over $3800.00 to register her new car last fall.

[Sombeech]

$20 traffic ticket? More like $150

Highway robbery