Colin Bonini has got some balls…
Either that, or he is simply clueless. Just read this and be aware of the fact that he has never voted for a budget. He is simply against budgets. He is a pumpkin-headed know nothing when it comes to budgets, and he is proud of it.
Senator Colin Bonini Delivers the GOP Weekly Message
“Hi I’m State Senator Colin Bonini. If you got a $29 traffic ticket in Delaware, how much do you think that would cost you? If you answered $29 you’d be wrong. A $29 traffic ticket will cost you over $110. That’s right, $110 on a $29 traffic ticket.
“That’s wrong, and it’s wrong for a variety of reasons. First of all I think it’s misleading. If you’re a Delaware citizen and you look up our Delaware laws under traffic violations you should pay the fine that’s listed in the law. But over the years the General Assembly has added many fees to these very basic fines, to the point where a $29 fine will cost you well over a hundred dollars.
“In addition to being misleading, it also has created a perverse incentive structure in our government. We’re at the point where we have many worthwhile programs that are funded exclusively by fees added to criminal violations. So we’re in a position where worthwhile government programs are dependent on our constituents and Delaware citizens violating the law. If these programs are worthwhile, and I think many of them are, they should be funded through our regular budget process.
“The third issue is one that affects many Delawareans who are struggling to make ends meet in this current economy. If you get two or three of these minor traffic violations you could be looking at four or five hundred dollars in fines because of all these added fees. And quite frankly many folks simply aren’t in a position to pay that. I know that personally because my wife Melissa and I have helped a couple of young people who were facing very serious criminal sanctions if they didn’t pay these extraordinary fines.
“Do I think people should pay their fines for minor traffic violations? Absolutely. Do I think people should be punished for violating the law? Absolutely. But I also do not believe that we should be funding our government based on these minor traffic violations.
“So I hope that the General Assembly and the governor will start looking at reforming this process and allowing Delawareans the honesty of paying the appropriate fines and not using traffic violations as a piggy bank to fund government projects. Thank you very much and have a great day.”
Maybe his charges should learn to obey the traffic laws. Be lucky they do not have CDLs. Lose your license lose your job
The problem is he has a point. We shouldn’t be disguising tax increases as fines and fees. If the government needs money it should raise taxes. Bonini is one of a bunch of chickenshits at Leg Hall who want all the government they can eat for free.
Newsflash. Stuff costs money.
And many of these fines and fees are actually regressive, unlike a gas tax. Bonnini is also a hypocrite for being at the leading edge of the all the government you can eat for free crowd. He can look in the mirror for a reason why we can’t deal with the budget honestly.