If you have force "donated" money to Ffx County I am sure you are aware of the $62 dollar processing fee. I was just curious, does anyone know why the fee is so high? It's understandable during pre-internet but is there any actual processing that occurs? Maybe a third party vendor that enters ticket information and charges FFX? Court costs? Either way I find it interesting that the processing fee is sometimes higher then the actual fine. Some interesting fine amounts below.

Bicycle on highway without adequate brake
Statute: 46.2-1066
Fine: $15
Processing Fee: $62
Total: $77

Unlawful riding of animal on highway at night
Statute: 46.2-800.1
Fine: $30
Processing Fee: $62
Total: $92

Playing on streets or highways
Statute: 46.2-932
Fine: $15
Processing Fee: $62
Total: $77

Failure to set handbrake and turn wheels to curb on parked car
Statute: 46.2-1071
Fine: $20
Processing Fee: $62
Total: $82

driving over fire hose
Statute: 46.2-922
Fine: $30
Processing Fee: $62
Total: $92

Spitting in public
Statute: 18.2-322
Fine: $15
Processing Fee: $82
Total: $97

you obviously have no idea how difficult and how much time it takes to process a check $15 check. We can't do it for free!

it's all a bunch of BS the pigs are robbing us blind.

I received a ticket the other day and the officer checked the box that says I can pre-pay. I go to the website and look up my ticket and there it is, I was kind of surprised because I only got it on Wed. There is no option to pre-pay though. I call them and the lady looks up my ticket and says "Oh yeah, that's one of the ones we have to do manually." So my fine is $30 and my court costs are $62, she says that'll be $95.68, there is a 4% charge for paying over the phone. So I say "Wait, I have to pay a fee to pay over the phone but yet that's the only way I can pay it?"

Her answer "You can mail a check for free."

"you obviously have no idea how difficult and how much time it takes to process a check $15 check. We can't do it for free!"

Yes, you can do it for free.

Please find out and report back. I don't mind the small fines but the processing fee is killer!!!!

You may have noticed when you went to pay the ticket online that you are directed to a website that is managed by the Commonwealth and not Fairfax County. The judicial IT system, under the auspices of the Supreme Court of VA, is separate from VITA which is managed by Northrop Grumman and covers all other state agencies. While the SCOV IT department receives money for staff salaries through the legislative budget process, nearly all other IT expenditures (operating and capital) are funded through the processing fee.

While I do not know the history of this, my understanding is that this has been the model for a long time and it provides for a consistent level of service from Fairfax to Bristol. The processing fee funding model means that the SCOV does not know in advance how much money they can spend on technology refreshes and updates, but it does allow them to continue to develop new systems.

A $20 proc. fee is reasonable but seriously even when you pay in court it's like $100 for a $30 fine! I dont mind paying $50 for a fine but 100+ is different. I gots 10 mouths to feed homes. Time for da welfarez

It's all a matter of semantics. Or, to paraphrase Shakespeare, a turd by any other name would stink as bad.

Agreed: It doesn't cost $62 or $72 to process a check. Would it help if instead of "processing fee" they called it "gotcha by the balls fee" or "pay up or get into deeper shit fee"?

I love it the way a lot of online services now have a "convenience fee" to pay by credit card. It's not for my convenience, or theirs. I remember a long time ago there were "free" concerts, but with a $10 "donation." If you didn't make your donation, you didn't get into the "free" concert.

We're living with more and more of words not really meaning what they say: "enhanced interrogation," "undocumented worker," etc. And finally, this from Orwell's 1984: "A mass of Latin words falls upon the facts like soft snow, blurring the outline and covering up all the details. The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink. In our age there is no such thing as ‘keeping out of politics'. All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred, and schizophrenia. When the general atmosphere is bad, language must suffer."

$62 is too much. Ok so you have to hire a clerk to take in the money or easier still a computer program to accept online charges. Multiply that times a few hundred tickets paid a day in Fairfax or thousands a day for the state combined.

In Arlington, the fee is lower, but the fines are higher, making your check the same. As for the 4% fee, that's to pay the credit card processing fee.

all I know is that if you are so much as of an asshole that you'd end up actually getting TICKETED for any of those pissant reasons (driving on a firehose?!?!!? Fuck You!!! if you do that!!!) then you DESERVE that processing fee LoLz

why couldn't the processing fee be 4% of the fine amount? i paid a $30 fine that costed an extra $62 for the processing fee! how many people does it take to click the button to remove my name from the dockett? if it's like that, someone there isn't managing their workload properly. it was paid online, what PERSON collected it? no one. someone has to settle that batch, and go into their records to mark it as paid. couldn't that easily be ONE person's job? so...you're telling me that that one person gets $62 for closing out that day's batches and clicking a "paid" button??? we're not stupid - we work too. and we are well aware of how our companies merge job responsibilities together so they don't have to hire extra staff. fairfax is GREEDY. there's no way around it! because of this - screw the damn priveledge. i'm brown and will most times get pulled over anyway. i'll stick to the bus. it's cheaper and i don't get a buncha bullshit in my mailbox from fairfax county.

The court processing fee goes to the court. The county gets none of it. Every ticket that is written has to be processed by at least one court clerk. It does not matter if you prepay on line or over the phone. The ticket still has to be processed by a clerk even before it entered into the system. Fairfax has a higher processing fee because it has the biggest case load requiring more employees.

Virginia has pretty low fines compared to some other states. Try getting a speeding ticket out in Oregon or Washington and see how much the fine is. Or maybe you prefer the money making speed cameras of MD and DC?

And if you are getting that many tickets then please stick to the bus. The bus needs riders to pay their fees to and it keeps the rest of the drivers in the county just a little but safer.

got a ticket for going 25 over in oregon, came out to about $250. from what i hear, VA isn't cheaper. what part of oregon are you talking about?

My daughter just got a ticket after she had a minor accident where she was at a standstill and then started moving and the car in front of her jammed on their brakes. She rear ended with minimal/no damage. They called the police and she was issued a $30 ticket for driving too close to the car in front of her. She went online and found out that there is also a $67 processing fee. Totally outragious~!
She was at a standstill and was driving less than 5 mph. No ticket should have been issued. She is now out some salary plus almost $100 for an accident that wasn't her fault.

Lauren Carl Wrote:
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> My daughter just got a ticket after she had a
> minor accident where she was at a standstill and
> then started moving and the car in front of her
> jammed on their brakes. She rear ended with
> minimal/no damage. They called the police and she
> was issued a $30 ticket for driving too close to
> the car in front of her. She went online and found
> out that there is also a $67 processing fee.
> Totally outragious~!
> She was at a standstill and was driving less than
> 5 mph. No ticket should have been issued. She is
> now out some salary plus almost $100 for an
> accident that wasn't her fault.


How is it not her fault? She is not supposed to hit the vehicle in front of her. She was clearly driving too close and/or not paying full time and attention. Otherwise, she would have not hit the car in front of her.

Consider it a lesson learned with minimal property damage and no injuries. Hopefully she learns from this and pays better attention in the future. We were all young drivers once and made young driver mistakes.

As someone mentioned above, the system used by Fairfax County is charged a processing fee by the Commonwealth of VA for each transaction of $45.17. There is also a credit card fee of 3.25%. The processing fee covers these two items plus the clerks time to to verify posting. The processing fee will increase next year to $74, and $81 in 2017.

The Supreme Court of Virginia sets the processing fees for the whole state. Courts cannot charge *more* than the max fee they set. But localities (like Fairfax) can charge a fee for the sheriff & court facilites (no more than $10), and a fee for the criminal justice academy.

So I'm guessing the breakdown is:

$51 processing fee:
$10 Sheriff/facility fee
$6 fee for the criminal justice academy

I spent about 3 minutes researching this, so I could be wrong.

http://www.courts.state.va.us/courts/scv/rulesofcourt.pdf (starts on Pg 259)

learing experience Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How is it not her fault? She is not supposed to
> hit the vehicle in front of her. She was clearly
> driving too close and/or not paying full time and
> attention. Otherwise, she would have not hit the
> car in front of her.
>
> Consider it a lesson learned with minimal property
> damage and no injuries. Hopefully she learns from
> this and pays better attention in the future. We
> were all young drivers once and made young driver
> mistakes.

Right. If she or you had taken driver's ed, or read the DMV handbook, you'd know that the only way you aren't responsible for rear-ending another vehicle is if (a) they back into you or (b) you get pushed into them (which happened to a friend--she was originally issued a ticket, which was cancelled when the driver she was pushed into testified as to what happened).

Maybe neither of you should be driving until you learn how, eh?

Don't start me off on those assholes. I am typing on my phone so sorry about the autocorrect

I had a fee they told me I had to pay that was BS to begin with.

I went to try and make payment arraignments.

They took $50 and a 4% processing fee.

They told me to all and I got some asswipe who was 100 pennies short of a dollar.

I told him I wanted to set up payment arangments. He says how much, I say what are my options. Response "how and I suposed to know what you can pay?"

Then we do the income screening. I am self employed and he asks "what was your income last year", I tell him the Adjusted gross income on my 2014 tax return.

Second question "what is your rent". I tell him (it is more than my adjusted gross income for the year).

Trained monkey responds "you can't even pay your rent how do you expect to pay us"

I tell him to not be rude and make assumptions that I do not pay my bills. This starts him on a 15 minute rant. He only shut up when I said "how about you stop being rude and just do the rest of the calculation"

He finished and again said "how much do you want to pay?"

I say "I don't want to pay anything."

He yells at me "well you have to pay something but you are telling you spend $1500 more than you make a month in rent and utilities"

I say how about a dollar a month, dumbass agrees to $1/ month for 2957 months!

I know this will not fly when it goes to a supervisor, but what the hell.

They call me back, and the idiot tells me "you lied to me". I tell him I never lied. He then says "you reported to the state you received $x as wages.

I tell him that is correct, but I gave you my adjusted gross. If you want I can send you my 2014 taxes.

Then he starts telling me I am "a lying bitch". I tell him his lack of understanding does not make me a liar. I asked him what are my payment options? He tells me I will have my wages garnished. I tell him good luck on that, I am self employed.

Then he tells me he needs to talk to his supervisor. 30 min later dick hole Calls me again telling me I comited fraud and they will not let me make a payment arrangement! I tell him to transfer me to the supervisor. He says "I already explained it to her, you are a liar and she said I am right"

I respond " I doubt you explained anything to her, because you have not shown that you know anything to begin with". (Ya I am being difficult, but they are idiots who can't tell me what amount they want)

So the supervisor gets on the line I explain they got my W2 info and she cuts me off to tell me "he never told you where we got our information"

I explain "there are only 2 ways to legaly get that information. From ME, or the W2 reporting. She tells me to "shut up and listen" to her and she tells this lovely story of how I am lying to her and she is going to garnish my bank accounts and take my car and all sorts of other things she legaly cannot do.

Then she tells me she is going to garnish my wages at "28%". I tell her you can't do that the maximum is 25% and I have student loans that would be entitled to 15% if any garnishment were to occur (which it won't I am self employed) do the most you could even think of getting is 10%. But I am under poverty level so you can't take anything, even if you got a judgment.

The bitch screamed "shut up you lying bitch! Don't tell me how to do my job! You need to pay us"

I again ask "what are my options? $20?"

Lady tells me I am a liar again, I say "so $50 what are you expecting?"

She then calls me a liar again (mind you this is 40 min of this abuse from them)

So when she again tells me to "shut my damn mouth or she is going to garnish my wages I ripped her a new asshole.

Called my lawyer after they did this, and turns out they can't even really do half the shit they are doing (suspending my license, putting a DMV hold on my car, offsetting my taxes) all this because of a CIVIL fine!

Then she found they added like 10 fees with no explanation!

They are crazy.

Lots of people are belly aching over a small fee.

Maybe you can decide to be better drivers and vehicle operators and not get tickets in the first place. Then you would never have to pay the fee that you are complaining about.

Someone told me once that the it has something to do with who gets what portion of the money paid. Regardless it is a fine by another name.

Pay up cashcows - Then we have what Transurban is doing.

no fee Wrote:
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> Lots of people are belly aching over a small fee.
>
>
> Maybe you can decide to be better drivers and
> vehicle operators and not get tickets in the first
> place. Then you would never have to pay the fee
> that you are complaining about.


It is a lot easier. Boring, but simple. And if you goof up and get a ticket, it saves a lot of time to just pay the thing.

Wait, I can't ride an animal at night?

What's the fine for tossing cigarettes out the car window? If we actually collected on those it would take care of the national debt. Filthy pigs.

dirtydirtydirty Wrote:
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> What's the fine for tossing cigarettes out the car
> window? If we actually collected on those it
> would take care of the national debt. Filthy
> pigs.


Tossing cigs out of a car is a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine from $250 to $2500.

Other Class 1 misdemeanors include assault and battery, petty larceny, DUI, reckless driving, domestic violence, possession of drugs, among other things.

Personally, I think this is far too lenient, flicking a cigarette butt should carry the death penalty, or at least life without parole.

I asked the Traffic Division of Fairfax General District County Court to explain what the 'processing fee' of a pre-payable fine stands for, why is it evaluated as more than twice of the fine value. The answer was: [...] "The state legislatures determine the amount of the fee. If the processing fee is not paid, your driver’s license will be suspended. The Court does not have the authority to waive the processing fee.
You can write to the state legislature if you do not agree with the fee.
Thank you,
Melissa Shapiro
Senior Lead Worker
Traffic Division
Fairfax County General District Court"
They are not trained to know how the state legislatures determine an amount fee? Or?
:)

Exactly! Pay the fine, why the unjustified processing fee?!

If you are riding an animal at night on a highway, there should be a lot more than just a ticket involved. I would guess drugs or alcohol would also be in play

DhjHteD Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> no fee Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Lots of people are belly aching over a small
> fee.
> >
> >
> > Maybe you can decide to be better drivers and
> > vehicle operators and not get tickets in the
> first
> > place. Then you would never have to pay the
> fee
> > that you are complaining about.
>
>
> It is a lot easier. Boring, but simple. And if you
> goof up and get a ticket, it saves a lot of time
> to just pay the thing.


What is amusing is I'd bet the majority of the people bitching about the processing fee are the same ones bitching about taxes ... and the quality of schools ... and the roads, etc.

These things don't pay for themselves. Lower taxes and fees the services will decline even more than are bitched about now. Services decline companies and jobs move. Then you look like Detroit.

If you don't want to adjust your driving habits and want to pay for your infractions without processing fees, don't bitch about 'high' taxes.

Pretty fucking simple.

Government is nothing more than a welfare system to employ those who cannot function in a competitive environment. The cost of that is very high and the government need revenue to fund these recipients. I've said for a very long time that police are not here to keep you safe. They are here to act as revenue collectors for the system.
Attachments:

MA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Exactly! Pay the fine, why the unjustified
> processing fee?!

They do it because they can and nobody stops them,

Whenever I see a processing fee, transaction fee, technology fee, etc on a bill, I remit only the legitimate charge and deduct my own processing fee, etc. from their fee. I have been very successful with this strategy. Fair is fair.

Car dealers also charge a "processing fee".

Fortunately, both can be easily avoided. Don't buy the fucking car, don't get the fucking ticket.

Simple.

the gov does not have to offer credti service for free

however they force most businesses to do so, so arguing they are sacks of shit is an open question

some businesses are exempt - some do charge extra for credit or refuse credit

--------------------------
during obama administration auto insurance turned from "pre-paid cash only" to "we take credit" (rediculous - an accident cannot be funded with credit - a scam)

obviously not only does obama's lackey gov workers make too much money but enough are in credit debut for the feds to force auto-insurers to take credit

what's more? gov now forcing people to buy gov owned/run insurace after "an infraction", and in my view infractions the goverment itself creates frequently

(this kind of strong arm business using government hasn't been seen since the days of the royal crown companies run by the Royals, that family in england)

McUUb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the gov does not have to offer credti service for
> free
>
> however they force most businesses to do so, so
> arguing they are sacks of shit is an open
> question
>
> some businesses are exempt - some do charge extra
> for credit or refuse credit
>


Visa/MC calls the shots on credit terms. It's all spelled out in your merchant agreement.

I once tried to charge extra for credit on certain transactions to avoid the interchange fee (aka swipe fee). When Visa/MC found out about it I was assured that if I didn't cease and desist immediately, I could no longer accept Visa/MC.

If anything, government may force card companies to waive this policy for THEM.

merchant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> McUUb Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > the gov does not have to offer credti service
> for
> > free
> >
> > however they force most businesses to do so, so
> > arguing they are sacks of shit is an open
> > question
> >
> > some businesses are exempt - some do charge
> extra
> > for credit or refuse credit
> >
>
>
> Visa/MC calls the shots on credit terms. It's all
> spelled out in your merchant agreement.
>
> I once tried to charge extra for credit on certain
> transactions to avoid the interchange fee (aka
> swipe fee). When Visa/MC found out about it I was
> assured that if I didn't cease and desist
> immediately, I could no longer accept Visa/MC.
>

You can get around it by including the swipe fee in the price and 'discounting' cash only transactions.

Lkjhgfdsa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can get around it by including the swipe fee
> in the price and 'discounting' cash only
> transactions.

Which used to also be against your merchant agreement, but recent court cases have changed that. The restriction against a posted credit-card minimum also went away (well, was set at $10).

Clearly you don't understand the point. As taxpayers WE ALREADY PAY THOSE FEES. You the county are charging us twice. Any other business context that would be considered double dipping WHICH IS ILLEGAL. It's good to know our county employees can't even respond with the education cominsurate with the positions they hold let alone respond using common sense. Lastly reality blows holes so big through you're response I'm surprised you can even say that with a straight face. If checks, credit/debit cards LET ALONE CASH cost that much to process HOW COME BANKS DONT CHARGE THAT MUCH PER.TRANSACTION because clearly NO ONE would use banks if they did.
As the first gentleman noted and the one below.. PROCESSING FEES AND BS ROBBERY BY LOCAL&STATE.gov. You want respect you have to give it. Not one thing about these fees is respectful of the people you PURPORTEDLY SERVE rather it illustrates just how much you criminally exploit us by policy and law.

Clearly you don't understand the point. As taxpayers WE ALREADY PAY THOSE FEES. You the county are charging us twice. Any other business context that would be considered double dipping WHICH IS ILLEGAL. It's good to know our county employees can't even respond with the education cominsurate with the positions they hold let alone respond using common sense. Lastly reality blows holes so big through you're response I'm surprised you can even say that with a straight face. If checks, credit/debit cards LET ALONE CASH cost that much to process HOW COME BANKS DONT CHARGE THAT MUCH PER.TRANSACTION because clearly NO ONE would use banks if they did.
As the first gentleman noted and the one below.. PROCESSING FEES AND BS ROBBERY BY LOCAL&STATE.gov. You want respect you have to give it. Not one thing about these fees is respectful of the people you PURPORTEDLY SERVE rather it illustrates just how much you criminally exploit us by policy and law.