The City of Clarksdale voted last year to enter the state’s new program aimed a garnishing the state income tax refunds of those who have unpaid fines from a conviction in city court.
We think that was a fine idea -- no pun intended.
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 pay their fine.
But there are some people in our community 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 Clarksdale do with an extra $1.8 million dollars?
They can make needed repairs to our parks and city buildings. They might hire a couple of extra policemen to patrol neighborhoods. And if they looked real hard they can probably find a street or two that needs paving.
Your Clarksdale Press Register urges our city commissioners, mayor, judges, and police to look once again at their list of unpaid fines.
As city elections soon roll into view, we will see if city fathers have the political guts necessary to double down and make those who owe our city money pay up.
Turning up the heat on those who owe the city fines will certainly help Clarksdale’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.
This newspaper also hopes our county officials will look at either collecting fines themselves or allowing the state to do the dirty work. The county is owed almost $3 million in fines and voted for a tax increase this fall and three new trucks for supervisors.
We hope smart people will just pay the debt they owe society. We hope judges will put pressure on those who don’t pay up.
And we hope that revenue will be used to make our community a better place to live.
netary gain.
