In order to help pay for police to fuel up, Virginia drivers may face an additional fine for any moving violation.
The General Assembly is considering a bill that would tack on $10 to traffic tickets. A state senate committe approved the bill Tuesday. They money would pay for gas for local police and sheriff's departments, which are facing severe budget cuts.
Many drivers welcome the fee, especially if it would motivate drivers to follow the speed limit and stop at red lights. The extra $10 is not a lot to ask for when it comes to public safety.
But some said $10 is not enough to persuade people to follow the letter of the traffic laws.
Others said fines for traffic violations are already steep and right now $10 is a lot of money. They believe the state should come up with another way to raise the money.
A couple of years ago, Virginia tried to raise money for road projects by adding enormous fines for traffic violations. Going 20 miles over the speed limit cost $1,050 plus court costs instead of $200. After much public outcry, those fines went away.
