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Relicensing program now paying its own wayMay 10, 2004City officials say that Spokane is getting a three-fold benefit from a program that restores driving privileges to traffic offenders while insuring that they pay their fines.Last month, Spokane officials had to add half a million dollars to the city's jail budget to cover soaring costs of incarcerating offenders. But officials say Spokane's jail expenses could have been even higher without the Community Relicensing program. Community Re-licensing lets residents get back driver licenses that courts have suspended because they didn't pay traffic fines. At the same time, the program insures that they pay those fines. Attorney Howard Delaney heads the city legal department prosecuting division. "We set them up a time payment schedule, make sure they get a license, make sure they get insurance, recall their fines from collection, establish a time payment," says Delaney. "And then they get to pay as they drive, basically putting them back on the road licensed and insured, letting them go back to work and be taxpayers." City Attorney Mike Connelly says a year ago, the city started charging an up-front $100 administrative fee for anyone wanting to participate. "The $100 pays for the program. The individuals involved in the program actually pay their fines, so our rate of collection goes way up. And we don't have to pay for the cost of jail time or re-offending," Connelly says. While, Community Re-licensing ended 2003 in the red, Delaney says he expects the program will end 2004 with a cash surplus. By John Vlahovich |
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