follow the money, VA 'abuser' fines

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/22/2205.asp

<...>

According to newly compiled data from the Virginia Public Access Project,
insurance companies, police organizations and trial lawyers have handed
more than $11 million to state legislators since 1993.

<...>

The architect of the abuser fee law, state Delegate Dave Albo
(R-Springfield) has received $105,209 in donations from the Virginia
Trial Lawyers Association, law firms and trial lawyers.

<...>

Albo is far from alone in receiving campaign cash from trial lawyers. All
together the industry has given a total of $6,139,859 and $57,263 in
gifts since 1993 to state lawmakers.

Insurance companies have likewise given a total of $3,246,204.

<...>

Police organizations have handed $1,276,999 to lawmakers in campaign
donations and $79,624 in gifts, primarily to encourage increases in
police salaries. But members of the Virginia Sheriffs Association and the
Virginia State Police Association (VSPA) are also direct beneficiaries of
overtime payments when lawmakers push for increases in the numbers of
traffic citations issued. The VSPA, for example, successfully lobbied
against SB 526, a bill that would have reduced the hassle of annual
vehicle inspections for motorist by requiring the checks every other
year. The change would also have cut down on one of the easiest traffic
citations to write -- the expired inspection sticker.

<...>

richard > wrote in
:

> On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:26:12 -0600,
> (Brent P) wrote:
>
>>
>>http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/22/2205.asp
>>
>><...>
>>
>>According to newly compiled data from the Virginia Public Access
>>Project, insurance companies, police organizations and trial lawyers
>>have handed more than $11 million to state legislators since 1993.
>>
>><...>
>>
>>The architect of the abuser fee law, state Delegate Dave Albo
>>(R-Springfield) has received $105,209 in donations from the Virginia
>>Trial Lawyers Association, law firms and trial lawyers.
>>
>><...>
>>
>>Albo is far from alone in receiving campaign cash from trial lawyers.
>>All together the industry has given a total of $6,139,859 and $57,263
>>in gifts since 1993 to state lawmakers.
>>
>>Insurance companies have likewise given a total of $3,246,204.
>>
>><...>
>>
>>Police organizations have handed $1,276,999 to lawmakers in campaign
>>donations and $79,624 in gifts, primarily to encourage increases in
>>police salaries. But members of the Virginia Sheriffs Association and
>>the Virginia State Police Association (VSPA) are also direct
>>beneficiaries of overtime payments when lawmakers push for increases
>>in the numbers of traffic citations issued. The VSPA, for example,
>>successfully lobbied against SB 526, a bill that would have reduced
>>the hassle of annual vehicle inspections for motorist by requiring the
>>checks every other year. The change would also have cut down on one of
>>the easiest traffic citations to write -- the expired inspection
>>sticker.
>>
>><...>
>>
>
> Cincinnati, Ohio used to require any person that drove a vehicle
> through the city, lived in the surrounding area, have a "safety lane"
> inspection sticker or they could be cited. When ever stopped, the cops
> would first look for that sticker. No sticker, you got cited.
>
> One county cop found a pair of city cops sitting on I74 in the county.
> When asked what they were doing there, they said checking cars for
> stickers. The city cops were told to leave and not come back. That
> started a war between the city and county.
>
> During said war, I researched that law and found out it was only
> required of "city residents" who park their vehicles on city streets
> for 3 or more days of the year. IOW, no junkers on the streets. After
> I kind of passed the word around on the actual wording, the "safety
> lane" went by the wayside. Even before then, I had decided not to get
> a sticker and if I was cited, not pay the fine. I was not a city
> resident so it did not apply. Oh yeah, the cincinnati cops would cite
> you if you were from Indianna or Kentucky. Basically, the cops
> enforced the law based upon the fact you had business in the city.
>
> Gee. Only $11 mill? I would have expected $33 mill easily.
> cheapscates.
>

it sounds much like the new "fees" that the city of Winter
Park,Florida(Orlando suburb) is charging;that if you have an accident in
Winter Park,and live outside the city,you get charged a "fee" for the
police and ambulance response,because you don't pay property taxes to
Winter Park.
(of course,it's often necessary to travel -THRU- WP to get somewhere...)

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

On Feb 4, 10:26*am, (Brent P)
wrote:
> http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/22/2205.asp
>
> <...>
>
> According to newly compiled data from the Virginia Public Access Project,
> insurance companies, police organizations and trial lawyers have handed
> more than $11 million to state legislators since 1993.
>
> <...>
>
> The architect of the abuser fee law, state Delegate Dave Albo
> (R-Springfield) has received $105,209 in donations from the Virginia
> Trial Lawyers Association, law firms and trial lawyers.

AFAIR Albo was actually associated with a law firm specializing in
traffic law. the whole deal was slim shady from beginning to end, and
I'm surprised it was ever taken seriously by the legislature.

nate

On Feb 4, 2:31 pm, Jim Yanik > wrote:

> it sounds much like the new "fees" that the city of Winter
> Park,Florida(Orlando suburb) is charging;that if you have an accident in
> Winter Park,and live outside the city,you get charged a "fee" for the
> police and ambulance response,because you don't pay property taxes to
> Winter Park.
> (of course,it's often necessary to travel -THRU- WP to get somewhere...)

The City of Two Rivers, WI recently considered such fees, but they
were to be universally charged. Needless to say, city residents were
rather ****ed about the prospect of paying their own cops $175 *each*
for simply reporting to crash scenes. Quite a number were planning to
urge tourists not to take the heavily traveled 'shortcut' through
T'Rivers to Door County. The plan was quickly dropped.
--
C.R. Krieger