NATION: Government Turns to Excessive Fines for Funding

Finally got around to making a post about this subject, which has bothered me for years. Our government, on all levels (local, state, federal), has turned to excessive fines, not just to deter unwanted behavior, but to fund their operations. This is plain wrong.

In his last years at UC Santa Barbara, my son James was ticketed for running a red light on his bicycle. The fine? $500! We fought it in court and won, since he believed he had not run the red light.  But how many people have the legal skills and the time and money to fight and win? Answer: not many (it helps to have a lawyer in the family!).

Having spent much time at UCSB during my son's tenure there, I observed students running red lights on bikes "right and left". Clearly, a smaller fine would deter such behavior. Given the unlimited opportunities to fine students for this offense, UCSB is clearly raking in a fortune citing students.

Above (click to enlarge): Posts are boring without photos. Here's an image that is unrelated to this web page: Ken spontaneously lifts his arms in awe at the viewpoint overlooking Panamint Valley in Death Valley National Park. Photo by Tim - January 2016.

Which leads me to this most recent "letter to the editor" in the Tribune, which you can read by clicking here. I include the letter below, because the Tribune has so many annoying advertisements on their web site: 

JANUARY 30, 2016 8:35 PM. SLO Laguna Lake Park dog leash ticket is exorbitant, appalling. I am not a resident of San Luis Obispo but was visiting to celebrate my son’s graduation from Cal Poly. I took my dog for a run at Laguna Lake Park, as I have done on previous visits. I was under the impression that SLO was considered dog friendly, and Laguna Lake Park has an off-leash dog area.

However, I was given a ticket for having my dog off leash on the trail. The fee was $561 plus a processing fee. I am outraged at the absurdity and exorbitant cost of this ticket. There is not clear signage that fees will be imposed if your dog is off leash.

How can you call San Luis Obispo the “happiest city in America” when this is how you treat people who come to visit? I have only heard positive things about SLO, but this experience has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, and I would not recommend it as a place to visit and certainly do not consider it a happy, dog-friendly community.

I am appalled that this is how you treat first-time offenders of a ridiculous city policy.
-- CAREY WEBSTER, GRASS VALLEY

There were several comments on the Tribune web site regarding this "letter to the editor". Here are 2 of my favorites from the same person, "Chett Myers":

Chett Myers: Denver just "Cracked down" on leash law violation and increased its fine to $80, Seattle $54, Los Angles $25. Not all dogs are uncontrollable without a leash. Dogs are a reflection of their owner and of their training. The real crime is the disproportionate penalty inflected by a over zealous government that can not otherwise balance their budget.

Chett Myers: A Fee is what the government collects when you ask it for permission to do something. A Fine is what it collects if you did not ask first. Many governmental agencies are trying to balance their budget using Fines. Sorry you had to learn the hard way that San Luis Obispo is one of such govern mental agencies.

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