Schwarzenegger Signs Court Bill
The Issue: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 1407 (authored by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata). This bill increases the cost of traffic and parking violations to pay off a $5 billion dollar bond. This bond will be used to build new courts and other pieces of Judicial infrastructure in the state. Is signing SB 1407 the correct choice for Governor Schwarzenegger?
According to The Los Angeles Times, Republicans are upset about the approval of the bill, claiming it is a form of tax. According to the Los Angeles Times:
The court fee hikes will include a new $30 penalty imposed on misdemeanor and felony criminal convictions. The state fee for attending traffic school will rise $25, and $3 will be added to parking tickets. A new $35 penalty will be imposed on criminal convictions for infractions, which include some traffic violations.
This funding will help pay for a bond to develop the 40 worst court facilities in the state.
My Take on It: Good Job Arnold.
Infrastructure is a necessity for the state of California. The major burden to infrastructure spending is that it normally requires taxpayer supported bonds. This measure will be funded through user fees, the form of “taxation” that should be considered most acceptable. Since the people who use the courts the most are those allegedly committing crimes, this form of revenue ensures that those who use the facility are paying for it, rather than the state as a whole. Republicans should be happy, this measure could have been funded through the general fund or through a bond. At least this bill’s developments wont have an impact on California’s ability to pass a budget.
Did Schwarzenegger not drive his Harley for many many years without a motorcycle licence? And in his own eyes, that was ok, because he *didnt know you had to get a licence*. The man was a joke as an actor and he is an even bigger joke as a Governor. Yet he gets away with it, and countless people now face larger fines? hmmmm
Retarded. He is taking more from parking fines to build court houses. Parking violators don’t go to court building to deal with parking fines. Parking cites are civil citations. Infrastructure is good. New court buildings are good. Updated prisons are good. But make those who utilize those services foot the bill. Take the money from traffic citations, criminal restitution, heck, even from civil cases that use those facilities. Don’t screw the cities out of their parking fines. The end result will be that cities will raise their parking fines and pass the cost to parking violators.