H.4385 would prohibit counties from adopting budgets which include project revenue from traffic tickets. It would also prohibit counties from revenue from traffic tickets/violations from being expended in the same year it is collected.
This is a positive reform that would dis-incentivize the use of police as revenue collectors. As we have said before many towns have become reliant on traffic ticket revenues as means of inflating their budgets. Such a policy is detrimental to citizens’ liberties and wallets. Law enforcement should be focused on fighting real crimes with real victims, not prosecuting citizens for trivial offenses as a means of wealth extraction.
Counties Can’t Rely on Ticket Revenue
Posted: January 7, 2016 by South Carolina Policy Council
H.4385 would prohibit counties from adopting budgets which include project revenue from traffic tickets. It would also prohibit counties from revenue from traffic tickets/violations from being expended in the same year it is collected.
This is a positive reform that would dis-incentivize the use of police as revenue collectors. As we have said before many towns have become reliant on traffic ticket revenues as means of inflating their budgets. Such a policy is detrimental to citizens’ liberties and wallets. Law enforcement should be focused on fighting real crimes with real victims, not prosecuting citizens for trivial offenses as a means of wealth extraction.
Category: Government Spending, Legislation