Ferguson city government is again intending to INCREASE the amounts of traffic fines in order to make up shortfalls in its budget for 2015. The exorbitant fines have been cited over and over again as a reason for many of the problems poor people face in Ferguson face where the poverty rate is close to 22%, compared to a 15% national average. With so many traffic tickets that people cannot afford to pay, many end up with court summons and are often arrested for non payment, eventually leading to felony convictions. This may lead to them being unable to vote when election time comes around and so the cycle is perpetuated. In 2013, the municipal court in Ferguson — a city of 21,135 people — issued 32,975 arrest warrants for nonviolent offenses, mostly driving violations. These are poverty crimes. People should not be locked up and possibly lose their ability to vote because they are poor. Shame on the city government in Ferguson, Missouri.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 21:28:06 +0000
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