DUI Tampa - Cities lose out on DUI revenue

Money from criminal traffic cases now goes to the county. Tampa lost almost $1-million.: "The money stopped coming more than a year ago, but many Florida cities are just figuring it out.
Tens of millions of dollars in fines from DUI and criminal traffic cases that once went to cities and towns go to county clerks instead. It's a result of 2004 legislation that put the state in charge of running Florida's courts.

The significant losses have prompted some city officials to question whether expensive and time-consuming DUI patrols can continue as a high priority without revenue to pay for them. 'In theory, we are going to still enforce DUI laws, but it does send a message that maybe it's not as important,' said Clearwater City Council member Bill Jonson.

DUI enforcement "takes so much time, so much money, to get nothing in return from it. That's tough," he said. DUI cases are among the most difficult police investigations, Wierzba said. This month, for instance, the Pinellas-Pasco Public Defender's Office will challenge the accuracy of the machines that test the blood-alcohol count of suspected drunken drivers. An average DUI arrest takes three officer hours. Clearwater police made 580 DUI arrests in 2004. Fines in DUI cases can range from $250 to $2,000."

SP Times

DUI Tampa Attorney

DUI Felons to Regain Civil Rights

Jeb Bush on DUI Rights: The "Executive Clemency Board has streamlined the clemency process to ensure that those individuals who have served their time and become contributing members of society have their civil rights restored in a fair and timely manner. The board has instituted many rule changes, eliminating certain crimes from the list disqualifying an applicant from applying for restoration of civil rights. For example, it allows restoration of rights without a hearing for offenses such as racketeering and felony DUI convictions that had required a hearing. "

Posted by Jeb Bush

DUI Tampa Attorney