Volusia County Council,
123 W. Indiana Ave.,
DeLand, FLA 32720.
Chairman and Members:
Greetings from sunny DeLand, home of enthusiastic traffic and parking enforcement!
It has come to my attention that the County intends to add another charge on top of the incredible surcharges imposed on traffic tickets outside of the cities. Right now, an ordinary $60 ticket draws an extra $32.50 (or 54%) in various extra charges. The smallest speeding ticket of $66 becomes with your help $98.50 - in a county where the average income is among the lowest in the state, going 6 MPH over the speed limit takes at least a week’s grocery money for the average family.
It is claimed by the Sheriff’s dep’t that the extra money will provide ‘‘additional funding for law enforcement education and training’’. However, they admit that they have no idea how much money might be raised, or what they might learn to do.
Let us consider the two possibilities. First, that the request is legitimate: that the education and training will actually provide better law enforcement. In that case, I and everyone else ought to be paying this through our property taxes. If the need is real, then I ought to pay.
The other possibility is that the request is simply for ‘‘free money’’ for more ‘‘cop toys’’ and junkets: winter classes in Key West, conventions near theme parks, &c. In that case, the County ought not fund the request in any way whatsoever.
I ask the County Council, ‘‘Which is it?’’ Legitimate, that I ought to pay, or profligate, that no one should?
Sincerely,
Tanner Andrews
PS: This letter is also available on the web:
CC: Volusia County Sheriff’s Dep’t
CC: Daytona News-Journal (but they don’t usually print west-side dissent)
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo:
This material is a paid political advertisement
provided by
P.O. Box 1208,
DeLand 32721.