City Council to Eye Hike in Fines, Fees
Cartersville leaders are set for a business meeting tonight at 7. The 6 p.m. work session is cancelled.
The price of a speeding ticket in Cartersville could nearly double if the city council approves a measure set for a first reading during tonight's business meeting at 7.
The ordinance amendment would adjust the fines associated with violations prosecuted in municipal court and add administrative and technology fees and state surcharges, allowing the city to keep more of the revenue, officials said in a summary.
The cost for violations across the board—from a $15 or $25 ticket for no seat belt to a $1,000 fine for shoplifting—would increase from less than 50 to nearly 150 percent.
Currently, the city keeps about 63 percent of the money it collects through fines and fees. With the proposed change, it could be 70 or 80 percent.
"The current fine and fee structure has not been addressed in many years, and Judge [Harry] White stated that the current fines and fees are lower than the surrounding municipalities," the summary says.
A proposed $20 administrative fee would offset the costs of a new court clerk and a $28 fee for technology would fund software and security upgrades.
Five of the city's numerous violations, all of which are included in the attached agenda, and their proposed increases are:
| Violation | Current Fine, Fees | Proposed Fines, Fees | Increase | Percentage Increase |
| No Proof of Insurance | $46 | $110 | $64 | 139% |
| No License on Person | $100 | $183 | $83 | 83% |
| Speeding, 1 to 15 mph, first offense | $108 | $183 | $75 | 69% |
| Texting While Driving | $150 | $250 | $100 | 67% |
| DUI, first offense | $882 | $1,308 | $426 | 48% |
The council cancelled tonight's work session at 6 due to a short agenda. It's set to meet at 7 p.m. on the third floor of City Hall.
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Cartersville Police Department
195 Cassville Rd, Cartersville, GA -
Cartersville City Hall
10 N Public Sq, Cartersville, GA
Katherine M
12:47 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
Are these people insane???? The increases are astronomical!!! Santinni and company - you folks should be ashamed of yourselves.
Christyp
7:36 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
This will only cost the county more money in the long run, because people can't pay what they have now. In return this will cause our jail to fill up and we the tax payees will have to keep them up.
String Bean
9:01 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
This has nothing to do with crime deterence. The fines are already high enough to deter the behaviour. This is all about revenue generation for the city. Shame on Santini and the council members!!!
Rebecca
9:19 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
Would you rather have your taxes raised? If you don't break the laws, you don't have to pay the penalty, what are you complaining about?
Bill Martin
9:31 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
Guess what. Obey the law and you pay $0.
Katherine M
12:20 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
Rebecca it's called gouging the citizens. The proposed fines are excessive. The city council just can't bring themselves to making necessary budget cuts like others have had to do.
Rebecca
12:33 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
Gouging citizens that can't follow the law?? I don't see a problem with that. Then all of the other counties around us are gouging too. What the Judge reported was that contiguous counties have higher fines than us. The City has already cut $12M from the budget and put off capital projects while maintaining the same services, what would you do?
Bill Martin
1:50 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
A relative of mine got a speeding ticket on I-75 in Atlanta last year. His fine was $750.00. The DUI fines as they are now are ridiculously low. The current fines do not deter crime. Go to city court 5 weeks in a row and I guarantee you will see the same repeat offenders over and over.