The month of November will offer those with unpaid traffic tickets and other court fines a chance to pay them off a little more cheaply.
Local municipal and district courts are offering an “amnesty” in November, in which they’ll waive interest fees on top of the tickets and fines, said Port Orchard Municipal Court Administrator Deborah M. Hunt in a press release.
As an added bonus, any ticket paid in full by the end of November will be removed from a person’s credit report, Hunt said.
But wait, there’s more: traffic tickets paid in full will trigger court employees to send a letter to the Department of Licensing telling the state to clear the driver’s record.
Those with unpaid fines and/or tickets can call AllianceOne, the collection agency, at (800) 456-8838, Hunt said.
The municipal courts offering the so-called amnesty are in Port Orchard, Bremerton, Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island and Gig Harbor. Kitsap County District Court is participating too.
“…traffic tickets paid in full will trigger court employees to send a letter to the Department of Licensing telling the state to clear the driver’s record….”
Another good example of cheating the people who followed the law and paid their fine when it was due. The drivers who paid the fine means they won’t get their driving record cleared as will the people who refused to pay until now, with the bribes.
What does the wipe the record clean offer teach us?
First of all NEVER pay a fine…wait until the courts offer amnesty including a cleared driving record.
The penalty for paying the fine when due:
Keeping the infraction on your record.
For the driver’s insurance company, don’t they base their premiums on the driver’s record?
Sharon O’Hara
I think this is a good opportunity for people to take care of these issues, that otherwise could be potentially on our streets illegally. (without a license)
In addition, it will generate income that otherwise might not be paid by those of lower income brackets.
Kudos to the county for giving these drivers incentive to take care of their outstanding fines!
Yes, of course…offering the incentive of no interest or penalty… even set up a ‘work it off” to pay the fine would work out great for all.
Such as put in so many hours as a volunteer to a non-profit to pay off the fine…let the person keep their pride by working the fine off if they can’t pay it.
But. To clear the driving record of the tardy one, when the person who paid the fine on time is penalized makes no sense…where is the logic?
How about rewarding the people who pay their tickets on time…NOT reward the ones who don’t?
Sharon O’Hara
The article states it will “clear the record” for the ticket. I would believe that to mean the record is clear for them to get their license. Not the infraction is “removed” from their driving record.
To remove a paid infraction off of the credit report after payment to a collection agency is not uncommon for the creditors to offer for payments.
I believe the catch here is, it an incentive to pay what might not have been paid for without the “incentive”.
Unfortunately, some people have valid difficulties in thier lives that make a program like this very likely to be helpful in their tough times.
I personally don’t see this as “rewarding”, more like an opportunity.
I stand by my opinion.
I see your point.
Also understand the wisdom to not pay tickets until the bribery ‘incentives’ are in place.
Those with tickets to pay would be money ahead to put the money aside and collect interest on it until the incentive to pay fines time rolls around again.
‘Opportunities’ are usually ‘rewarding’…else they would be called ‘Penalties’.
As I see it… Sharon O’Hara