Cops as a Revenue Source (as usual)

Drivers who get tickets in Pennsylvania pay much more than fines
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By Tom FontainePITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW


Sometimes, a fine isn't just a fine.
In Pennsylvania, most of the money shelled out by ticketed motorists isn't for the fine itself, but for various surcharges that help fund state government.
"I hated giving out tickets," said Jim Beserock, a retired police chief in Munhall. "They were always used as a back-door tax increase."
If a proposal by a Montgomery County legislator is approved, Harrisburg will dig even deeper into motorists' pockets. A bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Mike Vereb, a former police officer, would institute a $10 surcharge to help fund state police training. Some lawmakers estimate it could generate $13 million a year, enough to train and equip 130 state troopers.....MORE
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