JATO_RaT
Veteran Member
And to think, my Dads a native Texan. Oh well, he was from way over on the other side, El Paso.
Stolen Kubota with Loader
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Bird
Rest in Peace
Don't feel too bad, Rat, 'cause I couldn't figure out what it was either until RPM blew it up big enough I could see it./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Bird
Bird
Bird
Rest in Peace
Ernie, I finally found the name of the town (Kendleton, TX - southwest of Houson on US-59). The problem is that once I found it, I found quite a number of stories, and some conflicting stories (if you've had much experience with the news media, you can understand that), so I don't really know what the facts are. You can read one of the stories at http://www.fortbendstar.com/Archives/2001_3q/070401/n_banktruptcy.htm and then I found the following at another place:
<font color=blue>THE BONEHEAD AWARDS
*****************************
Today we bestow THREE bonehead awards!
Bonehead award one, a ''getting what they deserve bonehead award,'' goes to Kendleton, Texas which thought it had a great way to get other people to pay for its municipal budget. It became, since 1990, an excessive speed trap so it could collect massive amounts of revenue from speeding fines. But what they didn't realize in Kendleton is that the State of Texas has a law meant to prevent municipalities from becoming this sort of predator. The law limits total income from speeding fines to no more than 30 percent of the city's revenue, with the remainder of the fines going to the state.
What's the result?
The town has learned that they owe the State of Texas $1.7 million in unpaid speeding ticket debts and now, after the state has taken every last cent from their bank accounts, the city has been forced into bankruptcy thus leaving them financially bankrupt as well as morally bankrupt.</font color=blue>
I haven't kept up with a lot of the laws lately, but it appears in one story they say a city may only keep 30% of the fines, while in another story, they say only 30% of the city budget can come from fines. And I didn't read all the stories.
Bird
<font color=blue>THE BONEHEAD AWARDS
*****************************
Today we bestow THREE bonehead awards!
Bonehead award one, a ''getting what they deserve bonehead award,'' goes to Kendleton, Texas which thought it had a great way to get other people to pay for its municipal budget. It became, since 1990, an excessive speed trap so it could collect massive amounts of revenue from speeding fines. But what they didn't realize in Kendleton is that the State of Texas has a law meant to prevent municipalities from becoming this sort of predator. The law limits total income from speeding fines to no more than 30 percent of the city's revenue, with the remainder of the fines going to the state.
What's the result?
The town has learned that they owe the State of Texas $1.7 million in unpaid speeding ticket debts and now, after the state has taken every last cent from their bank accounts, the city has been forced into bankruptcy thus leaving them financially bankrupt as well as morally bankrupt.</font color=blue>
I haven't kept up with a lot of the laws lately, but it appears in one story they say a city may only keep 30% of the fines, while in another story, they say only 30% of the city budget can come from fines. And I didn't read all the stories.
Bird
ERNIEB
Platinum Member
Bird, OK. <font color=blue>Texas statutes, Chapter 542, subchapter a,
542.402 (b) In each fiscal year, a municipality having a population of less than 5,000 may retain, from fines collected for violations of this title and from special expenses collected under Article 45.051, Code of Criminal Procedure, in cases in which a violation of this title is alleged, an amount equal to 30 percent of the municipality's revenue for the preceding fiscal year from all sources, other than federal funds and bond proceeds, as shown by the audit performed under Section 103.001, Local Government Code. After a municipality has retained that amount, the municipality shall send to the comptroller any portion of a fine or a special expense collected that exceeds $1.</font color=blue>
I had not heard about Kendleton, sounds like there was more going on than just speed traps.
Ernie
542.402 (b) In each fiscal year, a municipality having a population of less than 5,000 may retain, from fines collected for violations of this title and from special expenses collected under Article 45.051, Code of Criminal Procedure, in cases in which a violation of this title is alleged, an amount equal to 30 percent of the municipality's revenue for the preceding fiscal year from all sources, other than federal funds and bond proceeds, as shown by the audit performed under Section 103.001, Local Government Code. After a municipality has retained that amount, the municipality shall send to the comptroller any portion of a fine or a special expense collected that exceeds $1.</font color=blue>
I had not heard about Kendleton, sounds like there was more going on than just speed traps.
Ernie
ERNIEB
Platinum Member
Scruffy, You got me wondering about that. If I remember right, just before Texas passed that law. The Feds had dropped the 55mph speed limit.
The speed limits were increased on state highways going thru both of the towns I mentioned, Selma and Elmendorf. Both towns complained to the state that it created an unsafe condition. They were ignored, and a short time later the law was passed. Speed traps were, for the most part, put out of buisness.
If it was the Feds, then I wonder if other States were involved, or if it was only Texas.
Ernie
The speed limits were increased on state highways going thru both of the towns I mentioned, Selma and Elmendorf. Both towns complained to the state that it created an unsafe condition. They were ignored, and a short time later the law was passed. Speed traps were, for the most part, put out of buisness.
If it was the Feds, then I wonder if other States were involved, or if it was only Texas.
Ernie
scruffy
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Other states got hit with it also, I know Georgia had some 'speed trap' communities that are now governed by the SAME set of rules as you mentioned for Texas communities. That alone points at a Federal hand in the matter. I can't absolutely pin it down in my mind, but something is bouncing around in the memory about it.
The initial double nickle speed limit came about because of the manufactured 'gas shortage', and the feds pushing for a mandatory speed limit of 55. They got it by threatening to withhold highway improvement funds from any state that didn't comply with the 55 mph limit...a few states tried, and lost funds earmarked for Interstate highway construction. It didn't take them long to fall inline. If I remember right, that same Interstate 'arguement' was used on the speed trap situations, particularly those on Interstate highways, which was the leverage point for an entire state.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by scruffy on 11/01/01 00:03 AM (server time).</FONT></P>
The initial double nickle speed limit came about because of the manufactured 'gas shortage', and the feds pushing for a mandatory speed limit of 55. They got it by threatening to withhold highway improvement funds from any state that didn't comply with the 55 mph limit...a few states tried, and lost funds earmarked for Interstate highway construction. It didn't take them long to fall inline. If I remember right, that same Interstate 'arguement' was used on the speed trap situations, particularly those on Interstate highways, which was the leverage point for an entire state.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by scruffy on 11/01/01 00:03 AM (server time).</FONT></P>
Bird
Rest in Peace
<font color=blue>sounds like there was more going on than just speed traps</font color=blue>
Yeah, and with our news media, who knows what's really going on. The first article I read indicated they were abolishing city government entirely, but the others don't indicate that at all.
Bird
Yeah, and with our news media, who knows what's really going on. The first article I read indicated they were abolishing city government entirely, but the others don't indicate that at all.
Bird
ERNIEB
Platinum Member
I've been doing some thinking about Police getting reports over the phone, and not sending an officer.
Last week I was involved in a minor traffic accident, at the school of course. With 4 officers out in the street directing traffic, and the ISD Police station about 30 yards away, the other driver seeing I had a cell phone, says "just call 911".
Awhile back, a fella I know was complaining that he had been charged for making a 911 call. He was reporting that his kids bicycle had been stolen. They weren't even sure when it had been taken.
Lately, at least around here, Police have had to respond to a bunch of calls for bomb threats, white powder sprinkled on stairs in the court house, stuff like that. Then there is well meaning people who call in things that they think are suspicious, but turn out to be innocent.
Resources are being stretched. The Police here are faced with the problem of trying to tell the public to be alert, but use common sense. So I guess there is another side to the coin.
Ernie
Last week I was involved in a minor traffic accident, at the school of course. With 4 officers out in the street directing traffic, and the ISD Police station about 30 yards away, the other driver seeing I had a cell phone, says "just call 911".
Awhile back, a fella I know was complaining that he had been charged for making a 911 call. He was reporting that his kids bicycle had been stolen. They weren't even sure when it had been taken.
Lately, at least around here, Police have had to respond to a bunch of calls for bomb threats, white powder sprinkled on stairs in the court house, stuff like that. Then there is well meaning people who call in things that they think are suspicious, but turn out to be innocent.
Resources are being stretched. The Police here are faced with the problem of trying to tell the public to be alert, but use common sense. So I guess there is another side to the coin.
Ernie
stevepio
Member
Bird - With the advent of AFIS systems you don't even need a suspect first. Just put the print in and wait for hits. It even keeps misses on file in case a hit turns up later. Cool stuff.
About the tractor - I'll keep an eye on the classifieds here.
About the tractor - I'll keep an eye on the classifieds here.
Bird
Rest in Peace
Yep, Steve, AFIS is a tremendous step forward, but of course it does depend on your suspect's prints being on file already. I don't know much about the recent developments, and didn't know it now keeps the misses on file for possible future hits.
