Pay those tickets! Diplo deadbeats could lose U.S. aid

Well this is an interesting move...

Pay those tickets! Diplo deadbeats could lose U.S. aid

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


WASHINGTON — Countries whose diplomats fail to pay their parking tickets could lose part of their foreign aid under a measure approved by the Senate Tuesday.

“If a diplomat ignores a parking ticket, we send him foreign aid. That makes no sense,” said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who sponsored the amendment to a foreign aid spending bill with fellow New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The amendment, approved by a voice vote, would reduce a country’s foreign aid package by whatever that country owes in unpaid tickets, plus an additional 10 percent penalty. The measure would apply to tickets and fines incurred in New York City and Washington, D.C., in the period from April 1, 1997, to Sept. 30, 2003.
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The provision would help New York City recover up to $21 million owed for 186,000 unpaid tickets, according to Schumer’s office. The secretary of state can waive the penalties if it is in the national interest.

Schumer’s office said that among the major offenders are Egypt, which owes nearly $2 million from 17,825 tickets; Kuwait, which owes $1.2 million from 11,122 violations; and Nigeria, in arrears almost $1 million from 8,520 violations.

more: http://www.nydailynews.com/front/breaking_news/story/131546p-117433c.html

I thought that diplomatic immunity covered things like parking tickets.

Welcome to DU!! :toast: