Donors to the Vampire's Blood Supply.

Fellow Patriots, the average traffic fine in the once-Golden State of California may now be as low as $35.00.  Yet, when all the garbage fees are tacked on, by the county and the State and the cops and the fire and rescue, it balloons to...wait for it...an average of...

                               $710.00 

Garbage fees?  Let's talk about that, shall we?

You know I've been taking our police forces to task lately because they're set up on a paramilitary basis to try and "catch" ordinary citizens doing mostly minor infractions so they can fine them.  And in many cases those fines can be substantial.  As in, yuuuuge!  As in supplying the majority of a town's budget in some cases.  There's an instance of a town of 440 people in the Midwest, right next to I-70, with more than 25 cops on the payroll.  You can imagine why.    

I'm going to use Costa Mesa, CA as my example, 'cause I lived there for more than 40 years, I still love it, and many of my loyal readers still call it home.  It's a lovely little city with lovely people.  So they'll want to know what my research has uncovered about their Fair City, and their (Un)fair State.  Here goes:

     -  Get caught on your cell phone in CM?  By the time all the charges and fees are tacked in (more on that later), it'll cost you $178.00.  Plus an average increase in your car insurance of $224.00 per year, for the next three years.  Gulp! 

     -  Run a red light in CM?  We're talking $450.00 for the all-inclusive ticket, plus an insurance rate hike of $272.00 per year for the next three years.

     -  The average traffic infraction fee in CA?  We're talking $490.00 in fines, plus that infernal $272.00 insurance rate hike.  For 3 years.

Just so you know, you're looking at 6 x the base fine in extra, pile-on fees.  And for that extra insurance fee, their "rule for the road" is 1 - 15 mph in speed over the limit, they bump your rates $288.00 a year for three years.  16 - 29 over, $317.00 a year surcharge.  Because you were a bad, bad boy.  And because you'll be extra careful from then on, that extra fee likely goes to pay for their Christmas Party.  Or to buy back some of their shares.  Just sayin...

Now then, on the way out the door, my exhaustive research has coughed up this hairball.  All those extra fees?  Tacked upon every single traffic ticket?  Here they are:- 

     -  $40.00 - Court operations fee.

     -  $35.00 - Conviction assessment fee.

     -  100% of Base Fine:  California Penalty Assessment Fee.

     -  $1.00 - Night Court Assessment Fee.

     -  $7.00 of Every $10.00 of Base Fine:  County Assessment Fee.

     -  $4.00 for Every $10.00 of Base Fine:  DNA Assessment Fee.

     -  20% of Total of All Fines - California Surcharge of Traffic Citation.

Be aware:  You are a prospective donor to the vampire's blood supply.  But because so few of us, relatively speaking, get caught up in the vampire's web, a fraction of 1%, we as a society pay no attention.  I suggest you start paying attention.

Don't you feel like most of the above "fees" were tacked on simply because they could?  Did they hold public hearings on these fees?  No.  Were you there to object when they came up with these "fees?"  No.  Do they meet often to consider a restructuring or reduction of these fees?  No.  But you're subject to them, nonetheless.  

And that's why I'm against the system as it's currently constructed.  They punish us for any of the 366,345 "crimes" on California's books.  And we're talking the equivalent of a week's pay for many of us.  3% of us patrolling the other 97%, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to pounce.  To raid your wallet.  Whether you were guilty or not.  To bring that day's tickets back to their "lair" and then to get rewarded by their department because of their "productivity."

Drive carefully.  You're not paranoid if they're really after you.  And trust me, 

                they're really after you...