Tate County Supervisors are seeing the cost of everything they touch go up, from gravel and asphalt to heavy equipment and the labor to operate that equipment.
There is a story on Page Two about Tate County Justice Court fines and fee collection going up, and that is good news.
Your Tate Record urges both the city and county to go after those who have unpaid fines from a conviction in either city or county court.
Those funds solve two problems: It helps avoid a tax increase, and it makes those who have a debt to society pay up and follow the rules.
Most of us have probably “run afoul of the law” and been given a citation or hauled into court and justice served with a fine.
The good folk in this world, admit their blunder, promise the judge they will be more careful and then pay their fine. But there are some people in Tate County Justice Court who admit their infraction, promise the judge anything and then walk out never intending to pay the court.
That is not right and that is not justice.
What could the county do with an extra $1 million dollars?
They could make needed repairs to county bridges and buildings or buy a tractor to mow right of way. They might hire a couple of extra deputies to patrol rural areas. And if they looked real hard they could probably find a road or two that needs paving.
Your Tate Record urges our supervisors, judges, constables and sheriff to look once again at our list of unpaid fines.
Turning up the heat on those who have unpaid fines will certainly help Tate County’s bottom line.
We would like to point out these fines would be collected from people who have already been convicted, sentenced and fined by the court. We hope smart people will just pay the debt they owe society.
We also hope smart county officials will put pressure on those who don’t.
And we hope that revenue will be used to make our county a better place to live.
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