Late June, 2007 • Warren County Report • Page Volume 2, Issue 12 · Late June, 2007 Warren FREE County Report #1 Newspaper in Front Royal & Warren County! Indictments Page 23 HUGE new fines! Northside Shopping Page 11 Legislature raises some page 2 roger bugging me about snippets at top trafficlots of placement issues fines by 2,500% much larger nv daily pissed Social Services looking for a sales person or two tojournal pay for urban roads! under the gun bigger Page 9 craig laird “printed blog ginger’s faxes $1,050 for 1st-time misdemeanor FREE MAP traffic ticket ? ? - Page 2 Page 26-27 Page 2 • Warren County Report • Late June, 2007 “Like any compromise, there are portions of the Bill, which I like and portions I do not. The inclusion of some misdemeanor traffic infractions, which are in Huge new fines my opinion slight in the abuser fee, is one of those areas that, in my opinion, will be revisited during the next Session.” Civil penalties on traffic violations raises alarm bells State reps agree ‘Other Misdemeanors’ section may go too far an ill-thought-out, overkill com- greatly assist the horrible traffic like and portions I do not. The It is this subsection that seems promise to get the urban delegate problems facing our state, I be- inclusion of some misdemeanor to open a Pandora’s Box of offens- votes necessary to pass a Transpo lieve that this section needs to be traffic infractions, which are in es to the average driver it would Bill this year? revisited during the 2008 session my opinion slight in the abuser seem a stretch to term danger- The fees, designed to bring in as of the General Assembly.” fee, is one of those areas that, in ous or criminal. some examples, much as $30-million in revenue Eighteenth District Delegate my opinion, will be revisited dur- as listed in a Virginia Supreme to help fund over a billion dol- Clifford L. “Clay” Athey said the ing the next Session.” Court explanation of the new law, lars in state road infrastructure intent of the fees is to target the While Athey and other pro- are listed below. improvements, theoretically tar- state’s worst drivers for additional ponents of the civil remedial “With respect to the basic gets the few, deemed “dangerous” revenue so that the average citi- fees stress the law’s first three premise of the [civil remedial] drivers, to pay for what all drivers zen and law-abiding driver would subsections targeting driving fee, namely that our most dan- will use – expanded road systems not be hit with a 40-cent gas tax on suspended licenses, scientifi- gerous drivers should dispropor- Eighteenth District Del- across the state, particularly in increase or other across the board cally-measured impaired driving tionately pay for safety improve- egate Clifford L. “Clay” large metropolitan areas. funding expenses. Athey stands and reckless driving, subsection ments to our roadways rather Athey supports the basic However, a misdemeanor of- by the intent of the new law but “d” goes further. That subsection than the general public, I agree premise of civil remedial fense subsection seems to expand agrees portions of the bill may reads: with the underlying philosophy,” fees but agrees the ex- the bill’s focus beyond habitual, need to be revisited in the com- (d) Other misdemeanors, “Any Athey says. isting bill may have gone dangerous drivers. ing Assembly session. other misdemeanor conviction He also points out the fees are too far. Questioned about the scope of “The Act was a compromise be- for a driving and/or motor vehi- but one part of the $.2 billion By Roger Bianchini the civil remedial fee portion of tween those of us who wanted to cle related violation of Title 8.2 Comprehensive Transportation Warren County Report the Transportation Bill, one se- avoid a general tax increase and or [Title 46.2] that is not includ- Funding and Reform Act that will nior Republican senator spoke fund transportation through us- ed in one of the preceding three tie future local land use decisions Are the Civil Remedial Fees on the condition of anonymity. ing the surplus, through the issu- subdivisions”: $300 to the court to transportation funding and tied to numerous driving of- “Clearly, this section of the 2007 ance of bonds, and through fees upon conviction, with two addi- help pay for road improvements fenses, included in the 2007 state transportation package is prob- which the average citizen can tional payments of $300 each due in his district, as well as the state’s Transportation Bill, a fair way to lematic and I struggled deeply avoid by obeying the law,” Athey to DMV, one within 4 months of urban areas. help fund over a billion dollars in with its inclusion in the final said. “Like any compromise, there conviction and the other within state road improvements or is it bill. While much of the bill will are portions of the Bill, which I 26 months of conviction. Author: [email protected] Our legislators at work protecting us from dangerous criminals These are examples of new civil penalties Virginia drivers will face when committing these “dangerous crimes.” Effective July 1, 2007, these penal- ties are in addition to normal fines and court costs and may not be waived or reduced by a judge. The purpose is to raise money. SECTION OFFENSE ADDITIONAL PENALTY ON TOP OF FINE AND COURT COSTS 46.2-300 NO DRIVER’S LICENSE - VEHICLE/MOTORCYCLE (C)4 $900 Misdemeanor 2 46.2-335 LEARNER’S PERMIT VIOLATION (C)4 $900 Misdemeanor 2 46.2-346 DRIVER’S LICENSE VIOLATION (C)4 $900 Misdemeanor 2 46.2-852 RD - GENERALLY - (C)2 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-853 RD - IMPROPER CONTROL - (C)2 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-855 RD - VIEW OBSTRUCTED - (C)2 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-860 RD - FAIL TO GIVE PROPER SIGNAL - (C)2 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-861 RD - DRIVE TOO FAST FOR CONDITIONS - (C)2 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-862 RD - SPEEDING EXCESS OF 80 MPH (highway) - (C)2 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-862 RD - SPEED 20/MORE ABOVE SPEED LIMIT - (C)2 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-863 RD - FAIL TO STOP ENTERING HIGHWAY - (C)2 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-864 RD - ON PARKING LOTS, ETC - (C)2 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-868. 1 AGGRESSIVE DRIVING (C)2 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-909 IMPROPER OPERATION/RIDING MOTORCYCLE (C)4 $1,050 Misdemeanor 3 46.2-1042 OPERATE MOTOR VEHICLE WITH BELOW-STANDARD TIRES(C)3 $1,050 Misdemeanor 1 46.2-1088.4 OPERATE MOTOR VEHICLE WITH WORKING N2O DEVICE (C)3 $1,050 Misdemeanor 46.2-1091 OPERATE SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORT CHILD W/O SAFETY BELT (C)4 $1,050 Misdemeanor 3 Late June, 2007 • Warren County Report • Page 3 I don’t think it was a secret fee . [but] people are unaware of this. Even the police station is not aware of this or some of the police people aren’t. And what I’d like to do is let people be aware that this is out there and these are significant Huge new fines and apply to juveniles as equally to adults. Sayre warns of huge increase in traffic fines How will civil remedial fees impact the average driver? (Managing Editor’s note: On Tom Sayre: First I’d like to say June 7, Front Royal attorney and thank you, Roger, for having me councilman Tom Sayre appeared here, it’s very kind of you. These on WZRV’s the Valley Today to civil remedial penalties are signif- discuss the imposition of new icant. They go into effect July st. civil penalties as part of the 2007 There’s a whole array of different Transportation Bill. The civil re- charges that if you’re convicted medial fees, designed to bring in as on July st or later . any felony much as $130-million in revenue is $3000. For an example a reck- to help fund state road infrastruc- less driving would be $050 . ture improvements, theoretically targets the few – deemed “danger- Roger Bianchini: But they’re ous” drivers – to pay for what all very kind to us, they’re going drivers will use – expanded road to let you pay it in three install- systems across the state, particu- ments, right? larly in large metropolitan areas. However, Sayre, along with other Tom Sayre: That would be cor- defense attorneys across the state, rect . The first installment you says the inclusion of an “other make to the Court Clerk. The misdemeanors’ section in the code second and third installments will make the average driver a you make to the Commissioner target of the legislation, suscepti- at the Department of Motor Ve- ble to undue financial burdens for hicles. many heretofore innocuous driv- ing offenses.) Roger Bianchini: And you want to make sure your checks go to Roger Bianchini: Today we have the right place. Front Royal Town Councilman and local attorney, Tom Sayre, Tom Sayre: That’s correct . I with us. We are going to discuss think why the General Assem- things of interest to the Town and bly passed this particular bill is County here and there, maybe that there is a need, evidently, for some County overlapping issues. more roads and bridges and the But first, I think we’re going to maintenance thereof. So across do a little Valley Law Today and the Commonwealth this is to State Law Today.