Speeding through the speed trap bill
Most Utahns can relate. You're cruising down the highway at 65 mph (OK, 80 mph), and you cross the city limits of Wellington.
Instantly the speed limit drops precipitously and, Hello!, there's the local cop in the rearview.
Counties and towns make millions through these speed traps on Utah's highways and the ones in Lehi, Beaver County and Wellington are notorious.
Sen. Bill Hickman's SB54 would allow them to continue the practice -- but the locals would no longer keep all the money. It's kind of like allowing Jesse James to rob trains as long as half the money goes to the state.
"It removes the financial incentive," says Senate President John Valentine.
And how.
Locals, of course, are fighting to kill the bill.
The SB54 debate was sleepily see-sawing in the Senate with no end in sight when Sen. Mike Dmitrich lost patience. The Price Democrat, who has been in the Senate as long as the coal seams have been under his district, you might say, put the pedal to the metal and brought it to a vote.
"If you get a ticket in Beaver County, then you deserve it," he said, not even bothering to stand up. "We all know that guy's there. You deserve it. It's like Wellington in my district."
Mike then voted for the bill, which passed in a close vote.
--Glen Warchol
Instantly the speed limit drops precipitously and, Hello!, there's the local cop in the rearview.
Counties and towns make millions through these speed traps on Utah's highways and the ones in Lehi, Beaver County and Wellington are notorious.
Sen. Bill Hickman's SB54 would allow them to continue the practice -- but the locals would no longer keep all the money. It's kind of like allowing Jesse James to rob trains as long as half the money goes to the state.
"It removes the financial incentive," says Senate President John Valentine.
And how.
Locals, of course, are fighting to kill the bill.
The SB54 debate was sleepily see-sawing in the Senate with no end in sight when Sen. Mike Dmitrich lost patience. The Price Democrat, who has been in the Senate as long as the coal seams have been under his district, you might say, put the pedal to the metal and brought it to a vote.
"If you get a ticket in Beaver County, then you deserve it," he said, not even bothering to stand up. "We all know that guy's there. You deserve it. It's like Wellington in my district."
Mike then voted for the bill, which passed in a close vote.
--Glen Warchol
2 Comments:
Except Jesse James robbing trains is ILLEGAL, as speeding is ILLEGAL.
-Bob
Good for the Senate. Remember when voters diverted revenue from drug seizures to schools? Oddly, drug seizures went to almost zero.
Once the Legislature overturned the law and to give the money to law enforcement the seizures started up again.
Certainly that's just a coincidence...
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