(Hauppauge, NY) Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Suffolk County Legislator Rob Calarco have proposed amending the rules of the Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency (TPVA) to ensure that no one found not guilty will be charged an administrative fee. The legislation has been introduced by Legislator Calarco and County Executive Bellone has said he will sign it into law.
“If a driver is found not guilty of an infraction, it’s not fair to charge an administrative fee,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said. “Suffolk County has operated this agency for less than a year and we should listen to our residents and be open to improving operations.”
“I introduced this legislation because it is only fair that we find a way to exempt those people who under state law have their cases dismissed,” Legislator Rob Calarco said. “This amendment will allow us to correct this administrative error and bring fairness to the process.”
TPVA began operations in April 2013. Due to the local establishment of TPVA, Suffolk County and its residents have and will continue to benefit from a source of revenue that in the past has been sent directly to Albany with only a very small portion covering the expenses incurred in Suffolk County. The agency was set up in a manner which is very similar to neighboring municipalities, including administrative fee structures similar to those charged throughout our region.
The administrative fee helps to pay for the related expenses of ensuring traffic safety in Suffolk County, from the time the ticket is written by a police officer through the process where the ticket is adjudicated by TPVA. In addition to amending the legislation to not levy a fee to those found not guilty of a traffic or parking violation, this legislation will be accomplished in a budget-neutral manner by increasing the administrative fee by $5 for those found guilty, excluding red light camera violations.
The amending legislation will be voted on by the full Suffolk County Legislature on December 17, 2013.
