Public Interest Law Reporter Public Interest Law Reporter
Volume 24 Issue 1 Article 11
2018
Driving on the Edge: How Municipal Fines for Tra6c Violations Driving on the Edge: How Municipal Fines for Tra6c Violations
Negatively Affect Marginalized Communities Negatively Affect Marginalized Communities
Mariah Woodson
Follow this and additional works at: https://lawecommons.luc.edu/pilr
Part of the Civil Rights and Discrimination Commons, Criminal Procedure Commons, Environmental
Law Commons, and the Human Rights Law Commons
Recommended Citation Recommended Citation
Mariah Woodson,
Driving on the Edge: How Municipal Fines for Tra6c Violations Negatively Affect
Marginalized Communities
, 24 Pub. Interest L. Rptr. 87 (2018).
Available at: https://lawecommons.luc.edu/pilr/vol24/iss1/11
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by LAW eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in
Public Interest Law Reporter by an authorized editor of LAW eCommons. For more information, please contact law-
No.
1
*
Fall
2018
Driving
on
the
Edge:
How
Municipal
Fines
for
Traffic
Violations
Negatively
Affect
Marginalized
Communities
Mariah
Woodson
There
are
several
purposes
of
laws:
promote
general
welfare,
provide
basis
for
punishment,
deter violations
of
the
law
by
offering
punitive
means
of
ad-
dressing
said
violations,
and
many
more.
When
it
comes
to
laws
governing the
roads
and
the
cars
that
individuals
drive,
the
laws
are
designed to
promote
safety
and order
on
the
roads.
1
Red
light
cameras
are
promoted
to
enforce
safe
speeds
and
prevent
dangerous
collisions.
2
Parking
ordinances, such
as
the
ones
governing
parking
meters,
are
aimed
to
keep
order
so
that
there
is
less
conflict,
particularly
in
metropolitan
areas.
3
Many
of
the
laws
have
a
common-sense
basis.
For
example,
an
ordinance
prohibiting
parking
within
a
crosswalk
is
meant
to
protect
the sightlines
of
drivers
and
the
safety
of
pedestrians.
4
An-
other
example
is
reserving
handicapped parking
spots
for
disabled
persons
to
improve
accessibility.
However,
there
is
a
critical
flaw
with
the
implementation
of
these
laws
that
are
seemingly based
on
a
rationale
of
necessity.
When
viola-
tors
are
punished
for
breaking
these
ordinances,
they
are
usually
assessed
a
fee
that
is
found
in
the
municipal
codes.
5
The
fee
is
the
same
whether
one
lives
in
the
Wicker
Park
or
Chatham neighborhoods.'
So
why
is
there
a fuss?
The
issue
is
that
fines
for
municipal
codes
disparately
impact
marginalized
communities
due
to
the
inability
of
many
of
these
individuals
to
pay
the
fines
and
the
inflexibility
of
local
governments
in
fostering
solutions
to
satisfy
both
public
safety
and
equity
concerns.
1
Law
and
the
Rule
of
Law,
THE
JUDICIAL
LEARNING
CENTER,
https://judiciallearningcen
ter.org/law-and-the-rule-of-law/
(last
visited
Oct.
7,
2018).
2
Transportation,
CITY
OF
CHICAGO:
CHICAGO
BLUEs
FESTIVAL,
https://www.cityofchica
go.org/ciry/en/depts/cdot/supp-info/red-light_cameraenforcement.html
(last
visited
Oct.
7,
2018).
3
Meter
Facts,
CITY
OF
CHICAGO,
https://www.ciryofchicago.org/dam/city/depts/rev/supp
info/ParkingMeter/MeterFAQs.pdf.
4
Tips
for
Avoiding
Parking
Tickets,
CITY
OF
CHICAGO,
HTTPS://WWW.CITYOFCHICAGO
.ORG/CITY/EN/DEPTS/FIN/SUPPINFO/REVENUE/TIPSFORAVOIDINGPARKINGTICKETS.HTML.
5
Id.
(The
fees
include
several
violations,
including
one
for unsafe
conditions
for
which
the
fine
is
$25.00.
The
vagueness
of
the
violation
could potentially
be
something
to consider
when
addressing
potential
law
changes.)
6
Id
87
1
Woodson: Driving on the Edge: How Municipal Fines for Traffic Violations N
Published by LAW eCommons, 2018
Loyola
Public
Interest
Law
Reporter
BACKGROUND
As
of
August
26,
2018,
Cook County
had
311
live
red-light
cameras
that
recorded
either
speeding
or
red-light
violations.
7
A
map
of
the
city
of
Chicago
shows
the
location
of
the
cameras
concentrated
mostly
within
Chicago
city
limits.
8
This would
make theoretical
sense.
The
city
of
Chicago
has
a
popula-
tion
of
2,695,598
according
to the
2010
Census,
with
an
average
0.8%
in-
crease
as
of
2017.9
As
of
2016,
there
were
only
27.5%
of
households
without
a
vehicle
and
each
household had
an
average
of
1.12
vehicles.
10
In
addition,
Chicago
tourism
topped
55
million
in
2017, breaking
the
city's
previous
re-
cord."
With
the
amount of
traffic
in
the
city
limits
each
year,
it
is
no
wonder
why the
use
of
red-light
cameras
and
the
implementation
of
traffic
fines
is
so
enticing
for
not
only
Chicago,
but
for
other
metropolitan
areas
as
constant
means
of
revenue
generation.12
There
is
a
caveat
to
this.
Of
the
total
of
speed
cameras
in
the
City
of
Chicago,
54%
of
them
are
in
lower
income
ZIP
codes,
even
though
lower-income
ZIP
codes
account
for
43%
of
Chicago's
ZIP
codes.
13
A
similar story
pertains
to
majority
minority
ZIP
codes
which
make
up
50%
of
the
total
amount
of
ZIP
codes
in
the
city."
However,
these
ZIP
codes
contain
59%
of
speed
cameras.
15
Red
light
cameras
are
hailed
as
deter-
rents
to
bad
behavior
as
well
as
effective
revenue
generators
for
municipali-
7
Chicago
Traffic,
https://webappsl.cityofchicago.org/traffic/redlightList.jsp
(last
visited
Oct.
7,
2018)
(Contains
a
map
of
the
red-light
cameras
within
the
greater
Chicago
area).
8
Chicago
Photo
Enforced Camera
Locations
(Red
Light
Cameras,
Right
Turn,
Toll
Road),
PHOTO
ENFORCED,
https://www.photoenforced.com/chicago.html#.W7lLmvZFwnk
(last
vis-
ited
Oct.
7,
2018).
9
Data
Access
and
Dissemination
Systems, U.S.
CENSUS
BUREAU
(2010),
https://factfinder
.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community-facts.xhtmI
(last
visited
Oct.
7,
2018).
10
Vehicle
Ownership
in
U.S.
Cities
Data
and
Map,
GOvERNING
MAGAZINE,
http://www
.governing.com/gov-data/car-ownership-numbers-of-vehicles-by-city-map.html
(last
visited
Oct
7,
2018).
11
Josh
Noel,
Chicago
Tourism
Numbers
Hit
Record
High,
Topping
55
Million
in
2017,
CHI-
cAGo
TRIBUNE
(Jan.
13,
2018),
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/travel/ct-trav-chica
go-tourism-increase-2017-0114-story.html.
12
Maggie
Clark,
Red-Light
Cameras
Generate
Revenue
Controversy,
USA
TODAY
(Oct.
15,
2013),
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/15/stateline-red-light-cameras/29
86577/
(Chicago
is
in the middle
of
the
road
with
red-light
camera
fees
as
California
puts
forth
a
$490
fine for
each
violation.
Many
states,
though,
have since
banned
red
light
cameras
despite
the
revenue
potential).
13
Lauren
Nolan,
The
Debt
Spiral:
How
Chicago
'
Vehicle
Ticketing
Practices
Unfairly
Burden
Low
Income
and
Minority
Communities,
WOODSTOCK
INSTITUTE
(2018)
(Ticket
issuance takes
up
seven
percent
of
Chicago's
annual
budget).
14
Id.
15
Id.
2
Public Interest Law Reporter, Vol. 24, Iss. 1 [2018], Art. 11
https://lawecommons.luc.edu/pilr/vol24/iss1/11
No.
1
*
Fall
2018
ties."
6
It
is
obvious
why
as
there
is
a
fine
within
Chicago
of
$100
for
a
red-light
traffic
violation.
The
fines
are
also
touted
by
city
officials
as
being
fair
and
equal
under
the
law.
17
Every
violator
pays
the
same
without
regard
to
race,
ethnicity,
or
national
origin.
However,
these
fines
are
not
created
equal.
For the
reason
why
this
is
so,
let
us
look
at
Chicago's socioeconomic
demographics.
As
of
2016,
the
city
of
Chicago
had
a
median
income
of
$50,434
and
a
per
capita
income
of
about
$30.87419
Approximately
24.7%
percent
of
residents
live
under
the
poverty
line.
2 0
Blacks
and
Hispanics
were
the
two
groups
most
likely
to
live
in
poverty,
with
blacks
making
up
the
plurality
of
impoverished
individuals.
2 1
Of
the
pop-
ulation
of
impoverished households
in
Chicago,
about
68%
percent
are
from
single
parent
households,
drastically
affecting
the
income
in
each
household.
2
2
The
unemployment
rate
for
black
residents
according
to
the
official
2010
Cen-
sus
was
19.3%
and
the
median
income
was
$25,505.23
Compare
these
num-
bers
to those
of
other
residents in
the
city.
White
residents
are
one-third
as
likely
to
live
below
the
poverty
line
as
black
residents.
2 4
The
median
income
of
white
residents
was
$38,408
and
the
unemployment
rate
less
than
half
of
the
black
residents
at
7.1%.25
They
are
more
likely
to
live
in
households
with
more
than
one
income
earner.
2 6
These
statistics
show
that
a
$100
fine
is
more
likely
to
have
a
crippling
impact
on
a
black or
Hispanic
resident
in
Chicago
than
a
white resident.
16
Id.
17
Tips
for
Avoiding
Parking
Tickets,
supra
note
4.
18
Id.
19
U.S.
Census
Bureau
QuickFacts:
Chicago
City,
Illinois,
U.S.
CENSUS
BUREAU,
https://www
.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/chicagocityillinois/PST0452
17
(last
visited
Oct
7,
2018).
20
Chicago,
Illinois
(IL)
Poverty
Rate
Data
Information
About
Poor
and
Low
Income
Residents,
Crry-DATA,
http://www.city-data.com/poverty/poverty-Chicago-Illinois.html
(last
visited
Nov
11,
2018).
21
Id
22
Id.
23
Id
24
Id.
25
Id.
26
Id.
89
3
Woodson: Driving on the Edge: How Municipal Fines for Traffic Violations N
Published by LAW eCommons, 2018
Loyola
Public
Interest
Law
Reporter
WOODSTOCK
INSTITUTE
AND
OTHER
STUDIES
Community
Organizing
and
Family
Issues,
a
social
justice
organization,
conducted
a
study
surveying
304 low-income parents
in the city.
2 7
The
results
were
staggering.
58%
of
respondents
lived
on
less
than
$15,000
a
year.
28
Debt
was
a
stifling
part
of
many
of
the
respondents'
lives,
with
student
loan
debt
being
the
highest
of
the
outstanding
obligations.
2 9
However,
of
the
respon-
dents,
22%
of
these
families
reported
having
outstanding
ticket
debt.
3 0
This
number
is
especially
troubling
due
to
the
existence
of
late
fees
for
many
viola-
tions.
3 1
The
existence
of
outstanding
debt
from
unpaid
tickets
also
creates
a
barrier
for
employment
with
the
City
of
Chicago.
32
Chicago
policy
states
that
if
a
person
has
outstanding
ticket
debt,
they
will
not
be
approved
for
licenses,
like
barber
or
taxi
driver
licenses.
33
Unpaid
tickets
can
result
in
license
suspen-
sion
or
a
boot
on
a
violator's
vehicle
as
well.
3
1
Such consequences
impede
economic
mobility,
resulting
in
what
amounts
to
a
poverty
spiral.
35
The
Wood-
stock
Institute
analyzed
the
issuance
of
vehicle-related
tickets
and
its
effect
on
the
city's
marginalized
residents.
Chicago
issued
over
3.6
million
tickets
in
2017,
the
majority
of
which
were
for
non-moving
violations.
3 6
These
viola-
tions include
missing
vehicle
stickers,
improper
license
plates
or expired
park-
ing
meters.
37
Of
those
issued,
low-income and
moderate-income
ZIP
codes
were
more
40%
more
likely
to
be issued
tickets.
3
1
ZIP
codes
with
a
higher
than
average
minority
population
were
40%
more
likely
to
be
issued
tickets.
The
tickets
that
were
issued
to
these
ZIP
codes
were
more
likely
to
go
unpaid
and
as
a
result
of
nonpayment,
the
drivers were
more
likely
to
have
their
li-
censes
suspended
for failure
to
pay
than
drivers
from
non-minority
and
higher
27
Stopping
the
Debt
Spiral,
COMMUNITY
ORGANIZING
AND
FAMILY
ISSUES
(Winter
2018),
http://www.coflonline.org/COFI/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/COFI-STOP-Report.pdf
(last
visited
Oct
7,
2018).
28
Id
29
Id
30
Id.
31
Nolan,
supra
note
13.
32
Id.
33'
Id.
34
Id.
3~5
Id.
36
Id.
37
Id.
38
Id.
39
Id.
4
Public Interest Law Reporter, Vol. 24, Iss. 1 [2018], Art. 11
https://lawecommons.luc.edu/pilr/vol24/iss1/11
No.
1
*
Fall
2018
income
ZIP
codes.
40
The
City
of
Chicago requested
that
the
Secretary
of
State
suspend
8,202
licenses
between
2016
and 2017, the
majority
of
these
tickets
coming
from
low-income and
minority ZIP
codes."
These
ZIP
codes
also
have
higher
rates
of
unemployment,
leading
to
the
assumption
that
the
total
amount of
suspended
licenses
have
an increased
negative
effect
on
the
commu-
nities'
collective
ability to
find employment
without
reliable
transportation.
42
It
is
no
secret
that
crippling
poverty
exists
within
the
limits
of
Chicago
and
beyond.
As
the
studies cited show
as
well,
the
color
of
one's skin
affects
the
likelihood
of
living
under
the
poverty
line.
4
In
families
where
choices
must
be
made
as
to
whether
to
pay
a
bill
or
eat
a
meal,
paying
a
ticket should
not
have
to
be an
added
stressor.
Yet,
the
inescapable
truth
is
that
the
debt
lingers
which
has
lasting
consequences.
City
policy
shows
that
unpaid
municipal
debt
affects
more
than
just
the
bank
account.
The
denial
of
licenses
due
to the
unpaid
ticket
debt
may
be
devastating
to those
trying
to
make
a
living.
Imagine
the
continuing
debt
spiral
when
it
comes
to
revocation
of
drivers'
licenses.
In marginalized
communities,
jobs
are
key
to
keeping
heads
above
water.
Poverty
is
already
in
and
of
itself
a
barrier
to
going
to
work.
5
Prospec-
tive
employers
often
ask
applicants
if
they
have
a
reliable
means
of
transporta-
tion.
4 6
A
2011
Brookings
Institute
study
showed
that
one-quarter
of
middle
or
low-skilled jobs
were
accessible
by
public
transit
in
ninety
minutes
or
less.
For
the
lucky
few
impoverished
persons
who
have
cars,
the
loss
of
a
license
would
be
devastating,
resulting
in
the
loss
of
their
most
reliable
means
of
trans-
portation.
The
circumstances
would
deteriorate
from
there,
leading
to
the
loss
of
a
job,
the inability
to
pay
bills
or
buy
groceries,
and
even
the
loss
of
their
home
due
to
inability
to
pay
rent.
As
demonstrated
by
these
scenarios,
what
is
considered
by
many
people
of
privilege
as
a
chronic
nuisance
of
our bureau-
40
Id.
41
Id.
42
Id.
43
Chicago,
Illinois
(IL)
Poverty
Rate
Data
Information
About Poor
and
Low
Income
Residents,
supra
note
20.
4
Joanne
Samuel
Goldblum,
Poverty
Itself
is
a
Barrier
to
Work,
THE
HUFFINGTON
POST
(Nov.
30,
2017),
https://www.huffngtonpost.com/entry/poverty-itself-is-a-barrier-to-work-us_
5a207336e4b05072e8b56740.
45
Id.
46
Id.
47
Adie
Tomer
et
al.,
Missed
Opportunity:
Transit
andJobs
in
Metropolitan
America,
METRO-
POLITAN
POLICY PROGRAM
(May
2011),
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/
2016/06/0512_jobs-transit.pdf.
91
5
Woodson: Driving on the Edge: How Municipal Fines for Traffic Violations N
Published by LAW eCommons, 2018
Loyola
Public
Interest
Law
Reporter
cratic system
may
be
the
push
that
brings
the
delicate
house
of
cards
crum-
bling down.
ACLU
AND
THE
BATTLE
IN
THE
COURTHOUSES
In
May
2018,
the
American
Civil
Liberties
Union of
North
Carolina
filed
a
lawsuit against
the
state
for
its
punitive
system
regarding
traffic tickets."
8
It
is
a
class
action
suit
involving
several
minority
and
low-income
earners
who
have
suffered
severe
consequences
as
a
result
of
their
inability
to
pay
the
outstanding
ticket
fines.
4 9
One
of
the
plaintiffs,
Seti
Johnson,
had
his
license
revoked
as
a
result
of
his
inability
to
pay.
50
He had
recently
obtained
a
new
job,
but
as
a
result
of
the
revocation
he
considered foregoing
the
opportunity.
51
A
similar
situation
befell
Sharee
Smoot,
a
single
mother
who
ruminated
on
whether it
would
be
better
to
drive
on
a
revoked
license
rather
than
risk
losing
her
job.
52
The
ACLU
argues
that
the
automatic
revocation
of
licenses
combined
with
the
lack
of
consideration
for income
levels
of
violators
is
a
violation
of
North
Carolinians
due
process
rights
and
rights
under
the
Fourteenth
Amendment.
53
Chicago
finds
itself
embroiled
in
its
own
suit
regarding
traffic
fines.
5
'
The
law
offices
of
Myron
M.
Cherry
and
Associates
filed
a
lawsuit
alleging
that
the
city
is
violating
Illinois
law
by
having
a
schedule
of
fines
and
fees
that
exceeds
what
is
allowed
by
the
state.
55
The
lawsuit
references
a
ProPublica
report
on
the
effect
that
the
fines have
on
minority
communities.
5
'
The
result
of
the
traffic
fines
and
subsequent
late
fees
is
an
increased
bankruptcy
rate
among
these
communities.
57
Benjamin
Ruddell,
an
attorney
for
the
ACLU
of
Illinois
weighed
in
on
the
issue
of
Chicago's
fines
and
fees.
48
Johnson
v.
Jessup,
1:2018cv00
4
67,
case
filed
on
May
30,
2018.
49
Id.
50
Id.
51
Id.
52
Id.
53
Id.
54
Gregory
Pratt,
Lawsuit:
Chicago
'
Minor'
Traffic
Tickets
Shouldn't
Carry
Big
Fines,
CHI-
cAGo
TRIBUNE
(Jul.
18,
2018),
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-chi
cago-traffic-ticket-lawsuit-20180718-story.html.
55
Id.
56
Melissa
Sanchez
&
Sandhya
Kambhampati,
How
Chicago
Ticket
Debt
Sends
Black
Motor-
ists
Into
Bankruptcy,
PROPUBLICA
(Feb.
27,
2018),
https://features.propublica.org/driven-into-
debt/chicago-ticket-debt-bankruptcy/.
5
7
Id.
92
6
Public Interest Law Reporter, Vol. 24, Iss. 1 [2018], Art. 11
https://lawecommons.luc.edu/pilr/vol24/iss1/11
No.
1
*
Fall
2018
Mr.
Ruddell
is
the
Director
of
Criminal
Justice
Policy
for
the
American
Civil
Liberties
Union
of
Illinois.
58
As
a
part
of
the
ACLU
of
Illinois,
he
has
been
involved
in
advocating
for
reform
of
Illinois' criminal
legal
system,
in-
cluding
the
excessive
imposition
of
fines
and
fees.
59
Although
the
ACLU
of
Illinois
is
not
involved
in
the
lawsuit
taking
place
in
North
Carolina
nor
are
they
currently
pursuing
any
litigation
against
municipalities
within
the
state,
they
are
taking
the
ight
to
another
battlefield
- the
legislature.
6
o
"[We]
are
actively
engaged
in
advocacy
to
pass
legislation
in
Springfield
(known
as
the
License
to
Work
Act)
that
would
end
driver's
license
suspensions
as
a
sanction
for
most non-moving violations.""
The
License
2
Work
Campaign
is
cur-
rently
not
on
the
floor
of
either chamber
of
the
Illinois legislature.
6 2
It
is
hope-
ful
that
could
change.
When
asked
to weigh
in
on
the
situation
in
Chicago
specifically,
Mr.
Ruddell
had
this
to
say:
While
I
won't
speculate
about
future
litigation,
I
will
say:
Ticketing and
col-
lection
practices
are
out
of
control
in
Chicago
and
are
negatively
impacting
the
City's
residents
of
color
and poor
residents
disproportionately. Duplicate
tickets
are
often
issued for
the
same
violation
on the
same
day.
Fine
amounts
are
excessive.
The
administrative hearing
process
is
confusing
and
unfair.
The
City
does
not
offer
reasonable
payment
terms
that
enable
low-income
indi-
viduals
to stay
current
with
payments
and
is
quick
to
resort
to
towing
and
"booting"
cars,
and
suspending
people's
driver's
licenses
for
unpaid
tickets,
causing
job
loss
and
disrupting
people's
lives.
One
thing that
may
be
unique
about
the
situation
in
Chicago
is
the
high
number
of
bankruptcy
filings-an
estimated
1,000
Chapter
13
bankruptcy
filings
in
2007
alone-
by
people
who
owe
fines
to
the
City
and
are
desperate to
hold
on
to
their
vehicles
and
licenses.
Litigation
presents
one
potential
avenue,
although
not
necessarily
the
only
one,
to
challenge
these practices.
6 3
Although
the
ACLU
of
Illinois
is
not
currently
seeking
litigation
regarding
the
excessive
fines,
he acknowledges
that
there
is
a
possibility
that
a
lawsuit
could proceed
on
constitutional
grounds.
6
1
"I
know
that
there
[has]
been
some
recent
progress
challenging
asset
forfeitures
on
Eighth
Amendment
grounds.
While
I
can't
say
for
certain,
it's
possible
that
the
Eighth
Amendment might
also
provide
a
viable
legal
theory
to
challenge
excessive
fees
and
fines
in
Chi-
58
Interview
via
Email
with
Benjamin
Ruddell,
(Oct.
8,
2017).
59
Id.
60
Id.
61
Id.
62
Id.
63
Id.
64
Id.
93
7
Woodson: Driving on the Edge: How Municipal Fines for Traffic Violations N
Published by LAW eCommons, 2018
Loyola
Public
Interest
Law
Reporter
cago.
There
could
also
be
Fourteenth Amendment
Due
Process claims.
State
civil
rights
laws
may
provide
additional
causes
of
action
under
which
these
practices
could
be
challenged."1
5
In
the
meantime,
legislation
seems
to
be
the
focus
of
movements,
such
as
those
pushing
for
the License2Work
initiative."
When
asked
about potential
roadblocks
to
legislative
solutions,
Mr.
Ruddell
stated
that
the
people
should
reject
any
argument
that
the
ends
justifies
the
means
given
that
the
City
of
Chicago
relies
on
fines
to
generate
revenue
to
fund
necessities
such
as
education.
6 7
"Forcing
people
into
a
debt
spiral
through
fines
and
fees
hurts
not
only
them
and their
families,
but
also
their communi-
ties,
and
ultimately
the
City's
economy.
That
is
a
counterproductive
way
to
fund government.""
Mr.
Ruddell
also
acknowledged
that
it
is
unclear
how
much
the
taxpayers
are
spending
on
efforts
to
collect
debts,
some
of
which
could
go
back
decades.'
9
Inefficiency
could
be
another
point
to make against
those
who
advocate
for
the
system
to
remain
in
place
as
is.
The
bottom
line
is
that
aside
from litigation,
citizens
should look
to
multiple
avenues
to
combat
the
inherent
unfairness
in fine
implementation.
CONCLUSION
There
is
no
denying
that
vehicle-related
tickets
are
a
vital
piece
of
the
income
generated
by
cities, especially
Chicago. However,
what
is
the
cost
of
the
system
that
is
currently
in
place?
When
the
implementation
of
the
current
ticket
structure
results
in
a
continuous
debt
spiral
for
the
most
marginalized
among
us,
is
it
worth
the
moderate
gains
for
the
government.
Likely
not
as
the
inability
to
pay
has
hindered
the
city
itself
in
its
collection
of
the
fines.
70
For
example,
the
fine
increase
from
$120
to
$200
for
not
having
a
city
sticker
was
expected
to
generate
$16
million,
but
only
generated
a
few
million
dollars
more.
71
Therefore, the
system
that
is
currently
in
place
may
not
be
as
lucrative
as
previously
thought
and the
city
has
an
interest
in revisiting
its
policies.
65
Id.
66
Id.
67
Id.
68
Id.
69
Id.
70
Nolan,
supra
note
13.
71
Chicago
Hoped
To
Generate
Millions
With
Expensive
City
Sticker
Tickets.
It
Didn't
Work,
WBEZ
91.5
CHICAGo,
http://interactive.wbez.org/citystickertickets/?utm-campaign=News
NewsletterRundownNews§20180726&utm
medium=email&utmsource=Eloqua&mi
ecmp=NewsNewsletterRundownNews_20180726-Batch&mi_u=1365850
(last
visited
Nov
11,
2018).
94
8
Public Interest Law Reporter, Vol. 24, Iss. 1 [2018], Art. 11
https://lawecommons.luc.edu/pilr/vol24/iss1/11
No.
1
*
Fall
2018
There
are
better
ways
to
maintain
order
on
the
roads
and
satisfy
the
city's
financial
needs
while
also
maintaining
a
fair
and
balanced
system,
such
as
lim-
iting
suspensions
as
well
as
improving
the structure.
There
also
should
be
a
statute
of
limitations
for
fines
so
that
the
debt
will
not
be
hanging
over
the
heads
of
residents
for
years
after
the
violation
occurred.
Finally, fair
justice
should
not
be
sacrificed
on
the
thought that
ticket
fines
generate revenue
that
will
theoretically
benefit the
communities
that
are
harmed
the
most
by
the
city's practices.
In
what
is
akin
to
a
coupon
for
an
ice
cream
cone
from
the
person who
has
sucker
punched
you
in
the
jaw,
this
reasoning
should
be
re-
jected
as
Mr.
Ruddell
pointed
out.
72
The
City
of
Chicago
should
remember
who it
serves:
everyone,
regardless
of
income.
72
Ruddell
Interview,
supra
note
58.
95
9
Woodson: Driving on the Edge: How Municipal Fines for Traffic Violations N
Published by LAW eCommons, 2018
