Posted on 06/27/2007 11:35:12 AM PDT by bad company
Virginia motorists convicted of minor traffic violations will face a new, multi-year tax beginning July 1. Led by state Delegate David B. Albo (R-Springfield), lawmakers slipped a driver responsibility tax into a larger transportation funding bill signed by Governor Tim Kaine (D) in April. Albo, a senior partner in the Albo & Oblon, LLP traffic law firm, can expect to see a significant increase in business as motorists seek to protect their wallet from traffic tickets that come with assessments of up to $3000 in addition to an annual point tax that tops out at $700 a year for as long as the points remain.
"The purpose of the civil remedial fees imposed in this section is to generate revenue," the new law states. (Virginia Code 46.2-206.1)
Driving as little as 15 MPH over the limit on an interstate highway now brings six license demerit points, a fine of up to $2500, up to one year in jail, and a new mandatory $1050 tax. The law also imposes an additional annual fee of up to $100 if a prior conviction leaves the motorist with a balance of eight demerit points, plus $75 for each additional point (up to $700 a year). The conviction in this example remains on the record for five years.
Other six-point convictions include "failing to give a proper signal," "passing a school bus" or "driving with an obstructed view." The same $1050 assessment applies, but the conviction remains on the record for eleven years.
Although the amount of the tax can add up quickly, the law forbids judges from reducing or suspending it in any way. The tax applies only to Virginia residents, so that out-of-state motorists only need to pay the regular ticket amount. Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Texas also impose a somewhat more modest driver responsibility tax which they apply to out-of-state residents.
The Virginia Supreme Court provides a full explanation of the new penalties for each traffic infraction in the 34k PDF file at the source link below.
I believe a challenge of this law brought before the US Judiciary will prove it in violation of the Eighth Amendment’s text, “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”
"then you should get a better car.", "you have very low confidence in your driving ability on top of owning a POS / poorly maintained SUV (just guessing, "
I don't have conversations with people that insist on being mean-spirited in order to gain leverage in a discussion. I'll pass.
I never said that.
Exactly. Some people won’t be able to pay and will lose their licenses. Then they have the choice of losing their jobs or driving without license. They end up in prison for driving without license, and go on to live a life of crime since they can never pay off their fines and so can never get their law abiding lives back.
These people will go mostly unnoticed since they were living on the edge anyway, but overall crime will go up in Virgina because some greedy pickle pounding lawyer named Albo used the power of his position to enrich himself.
See how lawyers ruin lives and impoverish and endanger society? They should all be shot for the sake of the rest of us.
Had a friend that worked the same place I did in T-town....Had opening in B'ville..which was 38 miles closer for me...and closer as the crow flies for him...but took him like 1.5 hrs more.
I-44 is just a nearly a "straight fast shot" for him to T-town. He still works in T-town...I work in B'ville.
Good Grief. To hear all you chest thumpers, there isn’t a highway in the land that isn’t traveled at under 99MPH and every one of you own a vehicle that can do it safely in fact more safe than at 20mph as it soars through the air like superman and because your driving abilities are so amazing...... It’s a miracle! All in one forum, too!
You two must be the kind of nervous Nellies you find driving down the middle lane of a freeway doing the limit while everyone else on the road passes you on both sides going 20 mph faster. 85 mph on a divided highway - what are you going to hit that isn’t moving in the same direction at a similar speed?
Virginia was the first state I got a speeding ticket in. Good thing I did not have to pay those prices. Just for info, I have had four in my life. I think one was a “going through stop sign” and one I went to court to get rid of (Maryland).
Yes, it’s true that there is some shifty things going on here behind the scenes, but the fact remains that in Virginia (and most places I’ve been) traffic laws are utterly ignored.
Besides being dangerous to my health and safety, people that break traffic laws are not fully internalizing the costs of their behavior; rather, I am forced to subsidize their reckless behavior, either through higher insurance premiums, more traffic enforcement, or through government medical programs that pay the hospital care of people who are injured as a result of their behavior.
So despite its questionable beginnings, this capitalist is all in favor of internalizing costs. This takes a step towards that.
Ping to 127
No, we just don’t think going a mere 15 mph over the speed limit is an extreme example of speeding which justifies fines running into the several thousands of dollars. You do?
No, I don’t. I think “mere 15 mph over the speed limit” is ridiculous. Either have a speed limit or don’t.
good grief!
BULLSH>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Clowns and communists - every last one of them.
I think the political process provides an adequate remedy for such an example. I would certainly not have a problem voicing my displeasure at such a law, and frankly, I think a 65 mph speed limit is a bit slow in most places. But it's the law (at least in Virginia), and I can't go around driving whatever speed I think is acceptable just because I feel like it. That's madness.
So you think 15 mph over the limit is such a severe crime as to justify multi-thousand dollar fines? Maybe jail time, too? How about confiscating the car and selling it? Is the concept of having a punishment commensurate with the offense foreign to you? And no, the vast majority of people would not consider 15 mph over the limit to be an egregious violation of the law.
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