(S. Florida towns) study fees for traffic accidents (average $840)

Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Prepare to pay more if you get into a traffic accident.

Davie this month will likely vote on whether to bill drivers from outside the town who are cited in collisions requiring the attention of police and firefighters. Plantation, Miramar and Southwest Ranches are exploring similar proposals.

Davie and Miramar may charge nonresidents only. Plantation and Southwest Ranches have not decided who would be subject to the fee.

... Although the Central Florida municipalities of Deland and Winter Haven already charge such fees, critics say they pervert the intent of voter-approved tax cuts and question whether they are legal if applied only to nonresidents. The new levies could also ignite a fee war. Weston, for example, has threatened to respond in kind if neighboring cities impose accident charges on its residents.

... Davie is considering an average charge of $840. Miramar, Plantation and Southwest Ranches are sorting out how much to charge, if anything, and under what circumstances. In Davie, the proposed fee would offset what the city typically spends to send public safety workers to accidents, including the cost of gas, vehicle maintenance and salaries, Assistant Fire Chief Frank Suriano said. The city has not determined whether to bill the families of at-fault drivers who are killed in accidents, Suriano said.

Read more: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbaccident0804sbaug04,0,7948548.story

These antitax idjits. I know someone who goes on and on about taxes. I told him if he doesn't want to pay any taxes, then he better quit driving on the streets, find his own water and sewer, and if he has a fire-goodluck. Told him he needs to keep his kids out of public schools and never get sick or need an ambulance. He got all mad at me. Of course he voted for idiot son twice.

election tomorrow that may scuttle this plan.

The fire department rescue unit fee starts at $350 and up...

We voted for it. Or did we?

their money as well.

Yet more places not to go to for any reason.
This is absurd.

Asshole cops, crazy city council. At least I don't live there.

A utopian land where you pay no taxes - unless you are one of The Others. In that case you pay lots of taxes to provide services that Libertarians use.

I agree it would be unconstitutional if ONLY applied to nonresidents.

I applied to both res's and nonres' it would be constitutional.

Whether it would be good policy otoh is another question entirely.

But this plan DOES place the "taxes" (specifically the civil fines) on those who were cited for the accident (iow, CAUSED the accident).

Iow, the at fault driver is charged the civil fees.

I can see the "logic' for that, while I don't necessarily think it's good policy.

It's redistributing costs to people who are 1) at fault 2) and thus incur the costs.

So the out-of-towners get to pay for the police force that enforces the interests of, and is beholden to, the local populace. Absolute piracy. If you're not willing to scare up the money to pay Barney Fife to enforce that 30 MPH speed limit against strangers, then don't hire him.

#1 it doesn't apply to the speed limit laws etc. It applies to people who CAUSE an accident
#2 I said it's unconstitutional if only applied to nonresidents.

I totally agree that applying it against nonresidents is BLATANTLY unconstitutional.

Courts have said in the past you can't treat American citizens unequally.

The fee would have to be applied to both residents and non-residents. And you can bet the residents won't approve of it.

ASSHOLES