Sign Petition Re: VA Civil Remedial Fees

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   I think everyone is missing the point here, which is the bigger picture and how it will effect the average joe who has other expenses and is barely keeping their head above water.  The fines are levied for any infraction, large or small. Having to pay a 300 fine, three times is no small feet for someone that is barely making it.  

	This is economic oppression, a catalyst for revolution. Politicians don't even care anymore. They act like the give a damn come election time, but after that its, "oh, sorry did I promise you that. Can't do something came up." We keep letting these fat cats that are involved in corporate america into politics to further their own causes and pad their own pockets, while they keep us fat and drugged. Doesn't anyone realize they only see us as consumers. People they can make money from, whether its fees, fines,interest rates, taxes.  We're nothing to them, just shoppers and America is their mall. They don't even care about our health or education. They feel as long as we keep breeding, they'll be plenty of us to generate them dollars.

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milesofprojects Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 16 Jul 2007 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote milesofprojects Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Jul 2007 at 9:01am
	I think everyone is missing the point here, which is the bigger picture and how it will effect the average joe who has other expenses and is barely keeping their head above water. The fines are levied for any infraction, large or small. Having to pay a 300 fine, three times is no small feet for someone that is barely making it. This is economic oppression, a catalyst for revolution. Politicians don't even care anymore. They act like the give a damn come election time, but after that its, "oh, sorry did I promise you that. Can't do something came up." We keep letting these fat cats that are involved in corporate america into politics to further their own causes and pad their own pockets, while they keep us fat and drugged. Doesn't anyone realize they only see us as consumers. People they can make money from, whether its fees, fines,interest rates, taxes. We're nothing to them, just shoppers and America is their mall. They don't even care about our health or education. They feel as long as we keep breeding, they'll be plenty of us to generate them dollars.

sluDgE Members Profile Find Members Posts Master Slug Joined: 27 Oct 2003 Status: Offline Points: 501	Post Options Post Reply Quote sluDgE Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Jul 2007 at 9:54am
	An update report from Channel 5's website on Sunday night: http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=3781416&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1

smithsilver2 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 16 Jul 2007 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote smithsilver2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Jul 2007 at 12:14pm
	www.Ipetitions.com/petition/VAtrafficfees/ is calling for a special session of the legislature to be held before September 2007. The politicians want to wait until January or February 2008 to 'review' or maybe 'modify' SOME of the fees. By that time (based on their own calculations) they will have already collected about $30 MILLION in fees...... think they will refund that money? doubtful these outrageous fees will hit the low and middle income families the hardest. If you live on a fixed income this could mean financial ruin. These fees are just for reckless driving, DUI's etc as the politicians are trying to claim, these fees are on almost every single driving infraction, misdemeanor or felony! Failure to use your signal = $900 Improper land change = $900 Failure to control your vehicle = $3000 (like swerving to avoid a deer in the road) You can have a perfect driving record and you will get the fees, because they apply to every single traffic ticket issued after July 1, 2007. don't listen to the policitians, read the legislation! go to Ipetitions.com and search "VAtraffic" if the above link doesn't work this is a free petition (ignore the donation page - it is for the domain owner, not the petition author) Don't let Virginia politicians put this off for 6 months! Call for the special session to be held NOW

smithsilver2 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 16 Jul 2007 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote smithsilver2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Jul 2007 at 12:21pm
	My TYPO: these fees are NOT just for reckless driving and DUI they are for all misdemeanor and felony traffic violations. sorry I missed putting in the word: NOT in the sentence

Sheepish Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 May 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sheepish Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Jul 2007 at 2:57pm
	This is how idiotic decisions are made--- (as in why so many infractions were grouped into this mess) Excerpt from Friday's Washington Post article (Page B1) "Stolle said the Senate, which had supported a tax increase, had tried to keep revenue generated from the fees to $28 million annually. But he said House Republican leaders insisted on at least $65 million, which meant the fees had to be higher and cover more offenses. "The more money you try to generate, the more violations you have to pick up," said Stolle,....." Thanks lawmakers-- you added more violations just to obtain more fees. What has happened to common sense here? The complete article can be found at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/12/AR2007071202054.html

smithsilver2 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 16 Jul 2007 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote smithsilver2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jul 2007 at 2:41am
	Here is a cut and paste from another blog with some more info about calling for the petition calling for the special session to be held by September 30 (before the November elections) to repeal House Bill 3202 and the 'bad driver fees'. sorry for the long post, but here it is: ------------------------- The online petition that is calling not only for the complete repeal of the new �abusive driver� fees (aka Civil Remedial fees), but also for the Virginia Legislature to convene a special session by September 30, 2007 to repeal the fees is located at: http://www.Ipetitions.com/petition/VAtrafficfees/ The citizens of Virginia do not want to wait until the regular session of legislature in January 2008 for politicians to �review� the fees. We want them to call a special session before the November elections and completely repeal HB3202 that enacted these fees. Gov. Tim Kaine has already said he will not call a special session, so the citizens of Virginia are asking the Senators and Delegates to call the special session. You can use the above link, or go to: www.Ipetitions.com search �VAtraffic� In reality, you can get a ticket, pay the fine, pay the new fee for three years, AND also end up paying a per point penalty for 3 years for the points on your record caused by the ticket. This exceeds double jeopardy. Failure or inablity to pay will cause suspension of your driver�s license. This can impact someone�s ability to find or keep a job, and for people with security clearances, this could cause revocation of their clearances and prevent others from being eligible for security clearance. The suspension stays on your record for 7 years, increasing your insurances costs and in some cases, even affecting your eligibility to obtain loans, mortgages and other financing. The potential dominoe effect could be catastrophic for thousands of hard working citizens of Virginia. Young people starting their careers, college students, low and modest income families, and citizens on fixed incomes face potential economic devastation and ruin: for traffic violations. The punishment certainly seems to exceed any measure of �reasonable�. Politicians only starting using the words, abusive driver fees, making roads safer from 'dangerous drivers', dui's, criminals etc., AFTER the public began their outcry. When you read the actual legislation, it shows it's sole purpose is to raise revenue. Not a mention of safer roads. There are already heavy financial penalties in place for DUI's, and the like, they are called FINES, COURT COSTS, ATTORNEY FEES etc. Civil punishments are already on the books and in place to deal with traffic violations. Again - they are called fines. The courts and judges have no jurisdiction over the new CRF's, they cannot waive or modify the fees for any reason, and the money goes directly into a state fund administered by the legislature. The legislators can change the purpose that the funds are used for at any time they like (remember the lottery money). Local jurisdictions will bear the increased costs of running the courts as they are flooded by drivers flocking to court to avoid these new fees. For the person that asked about Dave Albo - Remember Dave Albo is only a part time legislator, he is a full time lawyer, and a named partner in the law firm that specializes in traffic tickets - so he (and his partners) profits whether he personally ever steps into the court room or not.