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State GOP criticizes DMV fees in weekly message

Delaware Republicans are calling for changes to the state's DMV fee structure in their weekly message.

State Sen. Colin Bonini (R-Dover South) says the fees mean a $29 traffic ticket winds up costing more than a hundred dollars -- and he says government programs are too reliant on the fees as a source of income.

"Do I think people should pay their fines for minor traffic violations? Absolutely. Do I think people should be punished for violating the law? Absolutely," Bonini says. "But I also do not believe that we should be funding our government based on these minor traffic violations."

Bonini says the violations shouldn't be used as "a piggy bank to fund government projects," and says the fees put a particular burden on people in poverty in the current economy.

Bonini says the legislature and Gov. Jack Markell should make reforming the fees a priority.

http://youtu.be/YRZA5jwxi3M

Full text of GOP weekly message:

Hi I’m State Senator Colin Bonini. If you got a $29 traffic ticket in Delaware, how much do you think that would cost you? If you answered $29 you’d be wrong. A $29 traffic ticket will cost you over $110. That’s right, $110 on a $29 traffic ticket.

That’s wrong, and it’s wrong for a variety of reasons. First of all I think it’s misleading. If you’re a Delaware citizen and you look up our Delaware laws under traffic violations you should pay the fine that’s listed in the law. But over the years the General Assembly has added many fees to these very basic fines, to the point where a $29 fine will cost you well over a hundred dollars.

In addition to being misleading, it also has created a perverse incentive structure in our government. We’re at the point where we have many worthwhile programs that are funded exclusively by fees added to criminal violations. So we’re in a position where worthwhile government programs are dependent on our constituents and Delaware citizens violating the law. If these programs are worthwhile, and I think many of them are, they should be funded through our regular budget process.

The third issue is one that affects many Delawareans who are struggling to make ends meet in this current economy. If you get two or three of these minor traffic violations you could be looking at four or five hundred dollars in fines because of all these added fees. And quite frankly many folks simply aren’t in a position to pay that. I know that personally because my wife Melissa and I have helped a couple of young people who were facing very serious criminal sanctions if they didn’t pay these extraordinary fines.

Do I think people should pay their fines for minor traffic violations? Absolutely. Do I think people should be punished for violating the law? Absolutely. But I also do not believe that we should be funding our government based on these minor traffic violations.

So I hope that the General Assembly and the governor will start looking at reforming this process and allowing Delawareans the honesty of paying the appropriate fines and not using traffic violations as a piggy bank to fund government projects. Thank you very much and have a great day.

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