• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

O, Sweet Saint of San Andreas, Hear Our Prayers

LowDown

LowDown

Curmudgeon
DP Veteran
Joined
Jul 19, 2012
Messages
14,185
Reaction score
8,768
Location
Houston
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Libertarian
Minor Violations Lead to Massive Prosecution Fees in Two California Desert Towns.

I don’t think we’ve seen an enforcement mechanism as nasty and cruel as the one the Desert Sun has uncovered out in California’s Inland Empire. The cities of Indio and Coachella partnered up with a private law firm, Silver & Wright, to prosecute citizens in criminal court for violations of city ordinances that call for nothing more than small fines—things like having a mess in your yard or selling food without a business license.

...n Coachella, a man was fined $900 for expanding his living room without getting a permit. He paid his fine. Then more than a year later he got a bill in the mail from Silver & Wright for $26,000. They told him that he had to pay the cost of prosecuting him, and if he didn’t, they could put a lien on his house and the city could sell it against his will. When he appealed the bill they charged him even more for the cost of defending against the appeal. The bill went from $26,000 to $31,000.

Brett Kelman of the Desert Sun found 18 cases in Indio and Coachella where people received inordinately high legal bills for small-time violations. A woman fined for hanging Halloween decorations across a city street received legal bill for $2,700. When she challenged it, the bill jumped to $4,200.
Click to expand...

So, in California, where government spending is outstripping all sources of tax revenue, we have government turned cruel confiscatory predator against the people. I've read of what it was like for people to be governed by pirates in pirate enclaves in the Caribbean in the 18th and 19th century, and the pirates were way more fair to the people than this.
 
LowDown said:
Minor Violations Lead to Massive Prosecution Fees in Two California Desert Towns.



So, in California, where government spending is outstripping all sources of tax revenue, we have government turned cruel confiscatory predator against the people. I've read of what it was like for people to be governed by pirates in pirate enclaves in the Caribbean in the 18th and 19th century, and the pirates were way more fair to the people than this.
Click to expand...

I think his is a violation of the constitution.
If they want to prosecute the the bill goes to the city not the people receiving he fine.
The city is making people pay to prosecute themselves not only that the punishment does not fit the crime.
 
Charging defendants for their prosecution sounds to me like government overreach, and is probably unconstitutional. Moreover, this outrageous practice is just the tip of the ice berg.

Here's another source:

A state-by-state survey conducted by NPR found that defendants are charged for many government services that were once free, including those that are constitutionally required. For example:

In at least 43 states and the District of Columbia, defendants can be billed for a public defender.
In at least 41 states, inmates can be charged room and board for jail and prison stays.
In at least 44 states, offenders can get billed for their own probation and parole supervision.
And in all states except Hawaii, and the District of Columbia, there's a fee for the electronic monitoring devices defendants and offenders are ordered to wear.
Click to expand...
 
LowDown said:
Minor Violations Lead to Massive Prosecution Fees in Two California Desert Towns.



So, in California, where government spending is outstripping all sources of tax revenue, we have government turned cruel confiscatory predator against the people. I've read of what it was like for people to be governed by pirates in pirate enclaves in the Caribbean in the 18th and 19th century, and the pirates were way more fair to the people than this.
Click to expand...

That has to do with two Califonria cities, not the California gov't.

Please re-read that and try again.
 
Riverside County is ran by leftists. That should explain it.
 
DamnYankee said:
Riverside County is ran by leftists. That should explain it.
Click to expand...

Riverside County is in the Congressional 28th District represented by Republican Jeff Stone. How Democrat of them to vote Republican....

Historically that county has leaned red, however the past three presidential elections the county has voted blue by margins of less than 5%.....This is a toss up county at best, hardly "leftists."
 
DamnYankee said:
Riverside County is ran by leftists. That should explain it.
Click to expand...

LunaRose said:
Riverside County is in the Congressional 28th District represented by Republican Jeff Stone. How Democrat of them to vote Republican....

Historically that county has leaned red, however the past three presidential elections the county has voted blue by margins of less than 5%.....This is a toss up county at best, hardly "leftists."
Click to expand...

ha ha.jpg
 
Tanngrisnir said:
Yes, there's a huge difference.

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.
Click to expand...

So municipal government in California is not California government? I would have thought that the actions of a California municipality would be an example of California government.

In any case, according to a previous post user fees are becoming a very big new source of government revenue, another way for the government to fleece us. This example shows how in California they are taking it to the nth degree. They are charging user fees for all sorts of things and coming up with new ones every day.
 
LowDown said:
So municipal government in California is not California government? I would have thought that the actions of a California municipality would be an example of California government.
Click to expand...

It's a government in California, but it's not California gov't, which is the state gov't, which you were laughably trying to imply here.
In any case, according to a previous post user fees are becoming a very big new source of government revenue, another way for the government to fleece us. This example shows how in California they are taking it to the nth degree. They are charging user fees for all sorts of things and coming up with new ones every day.
Click to expand...

That's happening across the entire country.

Sorry your little word game didn't work.
 
LunaRose said:
Riverside County is in the Congressional 28th District represented by Republican Jeff Stone. How Democrat of them to vote Republican....

Historically that county has leaned red, however the past three presidential elections the county has voted blue by margins of less than 5%.....This is a toss up county at best, hardly "leftists."
Click to expand...

Ran by leftists by 5%, is still ran by leftists.
 
LowDown said:
So municipal government in California is not California government? I would have thought that the actions of a California municipality would be an example of California government.

In any case, according to a previous post user fees are becoming a very big new source of government revenue, another way for the government to fleece us. This example shows how in California they are taking it to the nth degree. They are charging user fees for all sorts of things and coming up with new ones every day.
Click to expand...

No, municipal government is not state government anywhere, not even in lefty liberal states like the People's Republic of California.
 
Dittohead not! said:
No, municipal government is not state government anywhere, not even in lefty liberal states like the People's Republic of California.
Click to expand...

So, municipal government in a California city is not government in California? Where is it, then?

You are aware that municipal government is subordinate to state government?
 
Nickyjo said:
What’s next, having to pay for the lethal injection?
Click to expand...

In China the family must pay the cost of bullets used to execute a person by firing squad. I suspect that we'll be seeing something like that that in California soon.
 
Tanngrisnir said:
It's a government in California, but it's not California gov't, which is the state gov't, which you were laughably trying to imply here.
Click to expand...

So government in a California city isn't government in California. Got it.

That's happening across the entire country.

Sorry your little word game didn't work.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but your mind reading ability is poor.
 
LowDown said:
So, municipal government in a California city is not government in California? Where is it, then?

You are aware that municipal government is subordinate to state government?
Click to expand...

Re read, for comprehension, just what I actually posted, then get back to me.
 
When this becomes widely known I wouldn't be surprised if there is an exodus out of those two municipalities.

Those who can afford to move, will.
 
LowDown said:
So government in a California city isn't government in California. Got it.

Sorry, but your mind reading ability is poor.
Click to expand...

Yawn. Again, no one here is interested in or buying you cutsie-poo words games.

Sorry that this all blew up in your face so quickly.
 
Tanngrisnir said:
Yawn. Again, no one here is interested in or buying you cutsie-poo words games.

Sorry that this all blew up in your face so quickly.
Click to expand...

I've noticed you're fond of declaring victory when there is none.
 
Dittohead not! said:
Maybe government ripoffs are non partisan. Who would have thought it?
Click to expand...

Who'd have thought it: anyone who realizes that there are bad (and good, for that matter) people on both sides of the partisan divide. It does strike me as obviously dumb to blame state government for what a couple municipalities are doing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom