Yeah, yeah. I know. "Texas doesn't have a state tax." I'm here to tell you that Texas does have a state tax. It's a regressive tax, but it's not called that. Let me tell y'all a story, and let me know if it sounds familiar: I get pulled over. I live in College Station, have a van with out-of-state plates, and look a bit freaky (for College Station), so I get pulled over a lot. I was pulled over 7 times the first year I lived here, and for weird reasons - dirty license plate, one cop told me it was just a 'random check area' (don't know what that means) and so on ... I never have any trouble, I don't make a fuss but this time I don't have my (newly renewed) proof of insurance with me. The cop (who had pulled me over once before) seems happy to find something to get me with, and writes the ticket. I figure it's a pain in the ass, but no big deal - I'll just take proof that I was insured to the courthouse (per the officer's kindly instructions). So, I go to the courthouse, and show them my proof of insurance - but there's a problem: I'm insured out-of-state (same state my van is from) and this doesn't apply in the state of Texas. I have to go to court, and what's more, I have to put down $350.00 (about) as bond. At this point, I'm finding myself very frustrated, but I remain polite and don't yell. I just nod my head and say "yes, ma'am, thank you." I had no idea what was in store. I go to court a month later, and talk to the court attorney (pre-counsel). He tells me that, basically, I wasn't legally insured at the time of being pulled over and the court will keep my $350.00. That's all he tells me. I'm thinking that this day was a waste of my time - the wait in the lobby (almost an hour), the wait to see the attorney (about an hour) - and for nothing. He then informs me that if I had presented my quasi-legal insurance certificate at the time the cop pulled me over, it probably would have been fine. Thanks douchebag, great news. *******. So, they keep my money, I'm guilty, etc.,. I'm not happy about it, but I'm glad to be done with the frustrating situation. But oh no. No, no, no - I'm nowhere near done. Now, this all happened in the Summer of '06. January of 2007 rolls around, and I'm going about my day. I get home after a long day, and check the mail. Inside, barely distinguishable from the junk mail, I find a letter from DPS informing me that my license has been suspended until I pay $260 to DPS. WTF?! Isn't this a mistake? Now, I don't know how many of you have come home to discovery you'd been robbed, but I did once - and getting this letter left me with exactly the same feeling -- exactly the same feeling. Apparently, in September of 2003 the DRP (Driver Responsibility Program) was launched, and that's where the $260 charge comes from. DWI, DUI, Vehicular Manslaughter and ... wait for it ... failure to provide proof of insurance are all covered by it. Sing with me One of these things is not like the others ... one of these things is not the same ... . So, I find out it's not a mistake, and that I basically have no chance of fighting it without a lot of frustration and a ****load of lawyer's fees, and even then the desired result is unlikely. I do some more digging around and, get this - it's not a one-time fee. It's once a year, every year, for three years. Guess what? There's no mention of that on the letter from DPS demanding your money. Yep, that's right, nowhere on the form does it tell you that it's a 3-year payment. Also recall that the friendly courts in this area never mentioned this to me or, I assume, to anyone when the guilty plea came down. You know what else? They're not required to. The reason my license was suspended is because I didn't pay the $260 within a few weeks of the conviction. The reason I didn't pay is because I didn't know about it - and they sent it to my old address, the address on my Driver's License, and that sort of offical (extortion) mail isn't forwarded. So, I grit my teeth, and pay the first annual installment of $260. 7-to-10 business days, and the suspension of my driver's license should be revoked (according to the friendly DPS agents who, no doubt, have to put up with a lot of ****). I figure I'd better update my address on my driver's license, and so I go through it online. BUT WAIT, WE'RE NOT DONE YET! I can't update my address! Can you guess why? Here's the email I received today: "A review of our records indicate that you are not eligible to renew your Texas driver license online because your license is currently suspended for no liability insurance convictions. In order to reinstate your driving privileges, it will be necessary for you to submit an SR-22 insurance certificate. An SR-22 is proof of state monitored liability insurance and can be obtained at an insurance company of your choice. In addition, before you will be eligible to renew your driver license, you will be required to pay a $100.00 reinstatement fee. You may submit the compliance items to the Texas Department of Public Safety, PO Box 15999, Austin, Texas 78761-5999. We will accept a personal check or a money order. " Nobody at the courthouse mentioned this to me either. My license has been suspended since September of 2006 at this point. I've paid $610.00 already, and I have $620.00 to go (two annual payments, $100.00 fee). I know some of you law-and-order types will have a bit of a laugh and say "you need to follow the law." Yeah, yeah - and you're the same folks who are against the Federal Income Tax. This isn't going to kill me financially (unless I get pulled over again sometime before the paperwork goes through - and I have to drive). But keep in mind - all this happened because I received my insurance renewal in the mail but forgot, for a few days, to put it in my car. That's it. Also keep in mind that I was never informed, at any point, of what was in store for me after the guilty verdict came down. Here's what I ask: Is this fair? Is this reasonable? Does the state have the right to do this based on principle, or based on the fact that they're bigger than you are and can put you in jail? Is this extortion? And this is what I want to say: **** you Rick Perry, you ****ing ****, **** you Texas lawmakers, **** you Texas courts, **** you insurance companies, and, most of all, **** off you ****ing pigs, you're nothing but glorified fundraisers.
I think this is the aggie tax. FYI drinking underage will run you about 500$ in college station. Whats that, 10% of the pretax income of the avg college student. brutal
thadeus, I don't think your unreasonable on this. Up until recently (when I toggled over into corporate law) I was a prosecutor. And when I first started out I saw many instances where good folks were in a circuitous cycle of having to pay reinstatement fees to DPS or have their license suspended -- which is a Class B misdemeanor (up to 6 months jail and/or a $2000 fine). I mean, these little things can become "life-changers" if a man is thinking about going into certain professions or situations where criminal background checks will be done. Heck, even if he's not -- it doesn't matter. Sorry you had to go through that.
I imagine the things this must do to a person raising a family - that's a lot of money (I will pay a total of 3 months rent in fines and fees) for me, but it could be absolutely devastating for other people. ..and thank you for your insight. Keep reaching for the stars!
Yep, just a way for politicians and municipalities to raise money without new taxes. Its pretty bad. Thats tough, same type of deal happened to my neighbor for an expired registration sticker or something, and he's your average law abiding, teacher, suburbanite. He had no idea that was going to cost him roughly $1000 dollars over 3 years. Also, you probably shouldn't be near college station.
Grad School, 1985. Drivin' through the woods of North Carolina. Pulled over, get ticket. After 21 years of Kafka hell, I pray that it is finally settled. Last iteration came when I moved to AZ in 2005 and found I couldn't get a DL because I was suspended in NC. Seems they had automated their system and entered all the records sitting in boxes in the basement of the Courthouse, whether the cases were open or not. I ended up paying another $180 after talking to the County Clerk (We have no record you paid that and that officer has retired), County Atty (I can't dismiss a ticket written by the State) the DPS (We have no record you ever paid this), the state attorney (That's entirely up to the county where the ticket was written). Of course, they destroyed the paper copies and just had the ticket in the database (so they say). Previous payments: 1985 when I got the ticket. 1989 when I moved. 1996 when I moved. Next time I switch states, I'll know for sure.
Neither was I, jack-ass. I have a thread exactly like this a year and a half ago for not paying $28.50 for the same damn thing. You should've read it.
Listen here you little ****stain, I don't care what kind of Barney Rubble Bull**** you've been spilling to the feds down at the watering hole, this is where the line crosses the point and ends your little Nancy Drew Panty Party. I'm gonna give you 17 seconds to apologize and get your story straight before I go tell your Goomba buddies what a conniving little Ralph Wiggum you've been. Now you can either calm down your little clown patrol piss brigade or I'll be forced to make a phone call to DickTracy'w grandson's pet Maltese Falcon and he'll b**** up your face until you look like Dick Tracy and Prunefaced mixed together, or simply... DickFace. Now you can cram it with walnuts, ugly.
If you knew how many 'warnings' I've received after being pulled over for traffic violations, you'd be stunned. In one instance, I literally had three reasons to receive a ticket. I got nothing but a warning. I guess it pays to be The_Conquistador.
So, anyway. I'd be interested in hearing anyone else (like rimrocker) who has had this sort of experience - particularly if it was recently, and in Texas. And, for anyone, what do you think of this? Does it fail to have any impact on you? Is it a big deal, or not? What do you think? We spend so much time typing about the injusticies of national politics in here, what about something like this that is happening regularly (and without any real attention) in your own backyard?
