Wastelands

This Advocate story is from earlier in the month but the legislative session is about to begin and, since we're going to be arguing a lot about budgets, I thought it would be a good time to flag it. As I'm sure everyone knows, the Republican gambit this time around is to pretend the revenue generated through last year's interminable seeming series of special sessions does not, in fact exist. Which would mean the Governor's proposed budget is invalid. Which would then mean we could end up haggling over whether or not we're even going to have a budget at the end of the session. Which would mean... here we go again.

Anyway that's all just background. The story I wanted to share concerns the budget crunch experienced by a growing number of rural municipalities across Louisiana as population shifts toward larger cities and support from the dysfunctional state government continues to erode. And so to make up the difference, the towns police people harder.

The number of Louisiana towns, villages and small cities in which fines make up at least half their revenues has risen from 15 in 2007 to more than 25 in 2018, according to a review by The Advocate of annual state audits of local finances.

For 60 other municipalities, fines and forfeitures account for more than 30 percent of government revenues. That’s up from 28 in 2007.

And 194 of the state’s 304 incorporated cities, towns and villages raise more in fines and forfeitures than they do in property taxes, according to latest financial audits.

The reason is less Barney Fife passionately holding scofflaws to account for minor infractions and more small-town officers strictly enforcing traffic laws — issuing tickets costing $80 to $200 or more — that has the added benefit of bringing more money to municipalities with few other revenue-raising options.

According to this article there are 24 localities that derive over half of their revenue from fees and fines.  The conflict of interest with fair and equitable law enforcement is obvious. And there doesn't appear to be a ready solution forthcoming from the legislature.