Traffic Tickets = Revenue?

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
March 15, 2009

I have generally opposed the idea that traffic tickets are written for the purpose of generating revenue for the cop's jurisdiction. But I'm changing my mind...

When tickets are written for violations of State traffic laws, they are processed at the McHenry County Traffic Court. My understanding was that revenue did not come back to the City of Woodstock for convictions or guilty pleas on those tickets. The money went to the State of Illinois and the huge court costs didn't make it back to Woodstock, either. However, looking back at a Northwest Herald article on December 7, 2007, it appears that 25% of the fine might find its way back to Woodstock.

But now, with the possibility of a new Administrative Adjudication Court in Woodstock, are traffic tickets being written as violations of Woodstock ordinances? Will those cases go to the new, local, hometown court, where fines and court costs will stay right here in Woodstock? Was the new Court approved at the March 3, 2009, City Council meeting? Can't find a thing online about it.

Kind of gives new meaning to "Shop Local", right?

I'll be doing some checking on this tomorrow. Is the new court up and running? Are there 30-40 tickets being on each of the three daily police shifts? When and where is court?

Court is open to the public, and the public should make sure to drop by and observe how court is conducted in Woodstock. And to anxiously await a financial report on the revenues generated and for what violations.