When speed traps keep a city budget afloat

[KamaAina]

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/when-speed-traps-keep-city-budget-afloat

The small town of Campo sits just eight miles north of the Colorado-Oklahoma border. It’s right on the highway, and the U.S. Census estimates the population is 107.

“We’re losing people all the time,” says Dennis Smith, a Campo resident. “It’s getting smaller and smaller and smaller.”

The few businesses that do exist are a hair salon, a gas station and a small diner. The town collects zero local sales tax, but residents still enjoy a public school and a swimming pool. Most of those things are paid by revenue from tickets.

"Campo thrives on tickets. It does,” says Campo police officer Brad Viner. In 2013, tickets generated more than $300,000 for Campo, or 93 percent of the town’s total revenue. City officials say that Campo needs that revenue or the town could die. Viner says there’s an even more important reason.

[maxsolomon]

1. In Central America they just set up road blocks and collect "donations" from all the motorists.

that's at least honest extortion.

[olddots]

2. remember the repukian mantra

NO NEW TAXES .

[Agschmid]

3. I heard that... It was a WTF moment.

[RockaFowler]

4. I think there are a couple of those in Central Florida, too

Not sure I understand the mentality of the small towns that do this.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. thieves. heard this story. made me angry.

[HFRN]

6. the town gets pennies on the dollar it costs the motorist, when you take insurance

into account

[NCjack]

7. A toll gate would be much kinder way to shake down the travelers. nt