The Gwinnett County Board passed a resolution February 15 in support of legislation that would levy an additional fee against an individual who is given a traffic citation. That means that committing a traffic violation would cost an extra $15 for every traffic citation, if the legislation is passed.
The goal of the extra fee is to provide the county with additional funds to support the increasing needs for new technology. According to the Gwinnett Daily Post, the county groups who would most benefit from the additional $15 fee are the Recorder's Court, the Gwinnett County Police Department, Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services and the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department. The County Board passed the resolution in support of the legislation because the Board views it as "money-saving legislation" to help the County.
As cash-strapped municipalities and counties look for new and creative ways to raise revenue for necessary equipment and services, more and more are turning to passing the costs on to the residents in the community. In this case, they want to pass the expenses of new technology onto those who violate minor traffic laws.
Common traffic citations that would see a hike in the fine if this legislation is passed include:
- Speeding
- Failure to Yield
- Driving with a Suspended License
- Reckless Driving
- Driving without a License
Time will tell whether the legislation is passed. It's likely, however, that Lawrenceville drivers who are suspected of violating minor traffic laws will continue to see an increase in the amount of the fine they pay for the traffic citation.
Source: Gwinnett Daily Post "E-911 Bill May Save Gwinnett Over $1M," Heather Darenberg, 2/15/2011
