Rebellion! Comptroller of Erie County, N.Y., Blocks Health Department from Collecting COVID Fines

PJ Media ^ | 12/03/2020 | Matt Margolis

[SeekAndFind]

Stefan I. Mychajliw Jr., the comptroller for Erie County, New York, has taken a stand for liberty and small businesses098and has used his legal authority to prevent the Erie County Health Department from collecting, cashing, or depositing fines issued for violating COVID-19 restrictions.

Fines for COVID-19 violations in Erie County will now be sent directly to the comptroller’s office instead of the Health Department.

“I am exerting the accounting authority given to my Office by the Erie County Charter. Changing accounting policies fall under my authority as Erie County Comptroller. This change in policy does not require approval by the County Executive or Legislature,” Mychajliw said in a statement. “It is granted to the Office of Erie County Comptroller regardless of who is elected to the position. I am Erie County’s Chief Fiscal and Accounting Officer, not the Health Department.”

“[Erie County Department of Health Commissioner] Dr. Gale Burstein, under my authority under the Erie County Charter, is ordered to have all entities facing COVID related fines to have those financial penalties sent directly to the Office of Erie County Comptroller. The Health Department is no longer allowed to collect, cash or deposit COVID related fines,” Mychajliw continued. “If she does not comply, I will freeze and close the Health Department’s banking accounts immediately.”

[SeekAndFind]

To help struggling businesses, Mychajliw has established a new flexible payment plan, using the following tiers:

• $1,000 or less: 20-year payment plan
• $1,001 to $5,000: 30-year payment plan
• $5,001 to $10,000: 40-year payment plan
• $10,001 to $15,000: 50-year payment plan
• $15,001 and above: 100-year payment plan

“I changed policies to help businesses crippled by the closure of the economy. I am happy to help again. We must do everything we can to save businesses,” Mychajliw said.

[eyeamok]

The answer to all this crap is simple, FOLLOW THE US CONSTITUTION.

All it would take is a simple law or citizen initiative like:

No Person or Persons shall be liable for any fine, fee, penalty or assessment in excess of $20 US, in Any Case of Any Kind unless a Trial by a Jury of their Peers was Guaranteed.

[RBW in PA]

Same thing should be done across the country with fines collected from moving violations. You would never see the police playing pirates on the side of the road with radar guns ever again.

[SKI NOW]

You would never see the police playing pirates...

What and kill the cash cow. Not likely.

[Svartalfiar]

Same thing should be done across the country with fines collected from moving violations. You would never see the police playing pirates on the side of the road with radar guns ever again.

"No fine/fee.. any case of any kind" should pretty much cover that as well. What I would like to do also, is eliminate speeding as a cause for stop if you're on an interstate or any highway. Define it as a road with primarily no stoplights, and with frontage roads on some stretches. The only reason to give a ticket for someone going 90mph in a 75 zone, when there's little to no other traffic, is revenue enhancement. Speeding should be an add-on charge, but nothing more.

[MayflowerMadam]

“No Person or Persons shall be liable for any fine, fee, penalty or assessment in excess of $20 US, in Any Case of Any Kind unless a Trial by a Jury of their Peers was Guaranteed.”

Yes. That’s what the Comptroller should stipulate.

[zeugma]

Same thing should be done across the country with fines collected from moving violations. You would never see the police playing pirates on the side of the road with radar guns ever again.

Agreed. All funds should go to the general revenue.

[Nik Naym]

He is only doing what he has the authority to do.

He can’t change fines, he can’t decide if they are right or wrong, or IF they must be paid.

Apparently he does have a say in HOW fines are collected, so he is making the fines essentially uncollectable by allowing crazy long “repayment plans”.

I say we should give him credit for being creative.

[MayflowerMadam]

I know. I grew up in Erie County so it’s a little personal.