Question: What happens to the money paid for traffic tickets?
Answer: The fines may be collected in many cases by the counties, but the money all goes to the state.
We asked the Hawaii State Judiciary for the number of citations issued and the total in fines and fees collected statewide for the years 2008 through 2011, as an example:
Calendar year 2008, 332,583 citations, $37,225,730 in fines and fees collected; 2009, 345,360 citations, $37,334,360 collected; 2010, 327,818 citations, $36,482,896 collected; and 2011, 311,684 citations, $35,974,661 collected.
As we explained in a column on the neurotrauma fee — http://is.gd/kokualine-09212008 — the fines and fees are set by law and vary in total, depending on the violation.
There are more than 1,000 types of parking and traffic infractions and various types of fees associated with them.
For example, if you received a speeding ticket for driving 11 mph or more over the speed limit, on top of whatever fine is assessed, you also would have to pay a $20 administrative fee for a moving violation, $20 for the computer fund, $10 for the neurotrauma fund and $7 for driver’s education.
We don’t have the space to give the breakdown for each year, so we’ll use 2011 as an example of many of the possible fees, which cover administrative costs or go into special funds, that were assessed, depending on the violation:
>> Fines: $20,358,023
>> Driver education fee: $4,185,808
>> Administrative fee-moving violation: $2,208,996
>> Administrative computer fund fee-moving violation: $2,203,541
>> Administrative fee-equipment violation: $1,379,599
>> Administrative computer fund fee-equipment: $1,354,286
>> Neurotrauma fee (special fund to help people who suffered trauma to central nervous system): $723,851
>> Administrative fee-parking violation: $610,527
>> Administrative computer fund fee-parking violation: $609,591
>> DUI driver education fee: $346,279
>> Crime victim fund-petty misdemeanors ($25 to State Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund): $334,768
>> DAGS state parking (for violations issued at state facilities by the Department of Accounting and General Services): $296,913
>> Drug demand assessment reduction special fund (for substance abuse treatment): $253,677
Question: Aren’t the bathrooms at the police substation at Hotel and Maunakea streets available to the public? I saw a sign saying that the restrooms were “under repair” and a month later, it was still there. That facility would help the situation of the nowhere-to-be-found-place-to-pee in Chinatown.
Answer: HPD’s Chinatown substation still offers the only public restroom in the neighborhood.
We stopped by Wednesday and it was open.
The unisex restroom is generally open 24/7, but is closed for daily cleaning and when repairs are needed, said HPD spokeswoman Michelle Yu.
The problem is that users often leave it unusable for others. See http://is.gd/zhCJaJ.
Mahalo
To our friend, Sheriff Rob Mielke. On Saturday, April 14, our 14-year-old son Chance fell hard during a basketball game at Palama Gym. When he stood up, you could tell something was broken. Rob was the first one on the court and because he knew Chance he was able to calm him immediately. He kept talking to Chance, holding his arm with ice, and kept him awake even though the pain was excruciating, until the ambulance came. Chance’s broken wrist could’ve been much worse if Rob hadn’t reacted so quickly. He kept what could have been a more panicked situation very calm, which allowed us to focus on Chance and for that we will forever be thankful. — Trina and Tony Martinez and son Chance
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Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
