Michigan Votes

2007 Senate Bill 638 (Repeal driver responsibility fees )

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  • Introduced by Sen. John Gleason on July 17, 2007, to repeal the “driver responsibility fees” or “bad driver fees” tacked on to various traffic violations and paid to the state, which were imposed as a revenue-raising measure in 2003. Reportedly only around 42 percent of the fees are actually collected, and they have imposed hardships on those unable to pay traffic offense fines as high as $2,000 over two years.
    • Referred to the Senate Transportation Committee on July 17, 2007.

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Comments

Introduced by Sen. John Gleason on July 17, 2007. New Comment

1) FUCK'EM [by Anonymous Citizen on November 12, 2008]
FUCK THESE FUCKERS!!!! I'M STILL GOING TO DRIVE. I GOT KIDS, SCHOOL, PERSONAL LIFE, AND NOT TO MENTION A JOB WHICH THESE FUCKERS TAKE TAXES OUT TO HELP RUN THIS BULLSHIT STATE!!!!!!
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2) Homework assignment [by Anonymous Citizen on November 12, 2008]
Your homework assignment: renounce socialism and renounce statism. Due Friday by end of class.

Your professor,
Dr. Liberty
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3) I agree [by Anonymous Citizen on November 12, 2008]


Really want to hit the state where it hurts? quit paying income taxes. If one or two people do this its no big deal and they come after you, though if one million or two million do this they are for lack of a better term, screwed.


Though I digress, soon our great governer will be appointed sec. of energy, hopefully her underling vice governer will see the flaw in not allowing people to get to work.
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4) And Her First Decree Will Be [by Anonymous Citizen on November 12, 2008]
that from now on all vehicles will run on unicorn farts and fairy dust.
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5) R Smith Michigan [by Anonymous Citizen on November 11, 2008]
The Driver Responsibility Fee is about helping the state with a budget deficit. I was punished by the courts for my DUI charge, went through their alcohol treatment program, paid my fines and it is behind me. But the DR Fees I can't afford. It is possible to get a drivers license in Colorado. I have researched Colorado law and talked with an attorney there. If you desperately need a drivers license I suggest you look into an attorney there called Jim Forslund. Google his name in and give him a call. You may be surprised. Colorado is my next move!
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6) Disgusted MI citizen [by Anonymous Citizen on October 29, 2008]
There are currently 120 postings on this web site, with everyone griping about the drivers responsibility fee. I have two sons both with suspended licenses because of these fees. They weren't drinking, just speeding. Traffic fees paid but two many points=no license. This law in unfair and target the low income mostly the young and the senior citizens. The person who wrote and sponsered it says he agrees but no one has ever complained. Why don't we all complain!
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7) New data on from Senate Fiscal Agency [by Anonymous Citizen on October 13, 2008]
Over five years, there has been no measurable change in driving habits — in fact there are more offenses than normal. And the state only collects 48 percent of assessments.

Of course, that doesn't mean much because the looting legislators like the loot. But this article is filled with lots of good numbers and stats on traffic offenses and revenues.

http://www.senate.michigan.gov/sfa/Publications/Notes/2008Notes/NotesJulAug08ew.pdf
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8) Actually [by Anonymous Citizen on August 19, 2008]
I have been reading the posts on this page and I agree completely with people's frustration. I also have had driver responsibility fees. I received 9 tickets, the courts felt that they were all wrongly given to me except one that I paid for right away, the others were dismissed and I didn't have to pay for them. When I went to see about my license I found out that even though the judge felt I didn't deserve these tickets the state of michigan felt I needed to pay more than double for them, which I don't even have close to the money for. All the money that I pay people for gas to get from my home out of town I could be putting on the drivers fees if I wanted and could afford to be a hermit. I also feel it is important for these people on here to understand that yes the state of michigan can and will garnish wages 20% to be exact until the fees are paid. I really wish that they would stop milking people for these fees. I have accepted my punishment for the crimes that the county waived and I can no longer have a license until I pay about $2,500.00. If there is anything that we can do as a group to put a stop to this I really think we should rally to do it

Jenn
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9) Time for the DRL to go! [by Anonymous Citizen on July 22, 2008]
Hello everyone: I'm working to get this law repealed for Texas. Please let me know what is going on with your fights! Virginia has repealed their DRL. If we can get out states to follow suite, this would be amazing for us!
The object is to stop the court actions: they are not working or catching attention. We must educate everyone, let them make their decision to join/not support/ and take action. Join the fight against the DRL in all impacted states! If we join together-we WILL make a difference!
Thanks for letting me post/vent: Mary Moody
http://www.myspace.com/fightthetxresponsibilityp
YouTube postings at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt5SU95y_oo to view the first posting and:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fljjLhLdwHE for the second.
And Tamara has began a petition for the state of TX at: http://www.petitiononline.com/TXDRP07/petition.html
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10) Can't get a picture ID if you owe the state? [by Anonymous Citizen on June 30, 2008]
My 18yr. old son tried to get a Michigan ID not drivers license, just a picture ID! The S.O.S. said he owed drivers responsibilty fee for no proof of insurance (which he had nad showed to the city) and can not obtain an ID!!!!! That is CRAZY!
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11) DOUBLE DIPPING [by Anonymous Citizen on June 26, 2008]
I was charged with a responsibility fee in June of 2005. I did not have the insurance cerificate with me at the time but I took it to the police station within 3 days. However in September, 2005 I received noification that my license were suspended for no proof of insurance. I had to pay a bond of $100 and miss work for a mandatory court date. Ok, now we are in January, 2006 and I made arrangements on he $500 dollar fee imposed. Now it is June 2006 and I assumed everything was fine. I received a state income tax refund in 2007 but in 2008 my state taxes were taken for a driver responsibilty fee from 2005. For the life of me, I could not understand why they did not take he 2007 taxes instead of 2008. I never received a notice of he 2nd fee until it was taken, then thats when I got notification that my license were suspended for this state imposed fee. I wound up having to pay a reinstatement fee for the suspension. This is a horrible tax and I commend State Rep. Bettie Cook Scott for trying to stop this madness. Since 2005 I have paid nearly nearly $2000 on these imposed fees.
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12) RE: re: fed up mother [by Anonymous Citizen on July 5, 2008]
obviously your parents were a little confused and stuffed that silver spoon up your ass instead of in your mouth. You need a little real world education, instead of all those neat little books you read at harvard or some other ivy league date rape training academy, i mean, college. Not everyone is well off enough to make ends meet, even if they work their asses off. Then again, thinking about it now, you would make a great cabinet member for captain mole and the bitch brigade.
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13) Bettie Scott Cook [by Anonymous Citizen on July 1, 2008]
The bill that directly deals with this maddness is HB#4006. Bettie Scott Cook's bill dont address the problem directly.
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14) Wrong convictions for no proof of insurance? [by Anonymous Citizen on June 27, 2008]
Several commentors have said that they were convicted of not having proof of auto insurance, and subjected to license suspensions and driver responsibility fees.

Since June 1, 2004, anyone ticketed for no proof of insurance who answers the ticket within the specified time and shows the court that insurance was indeed in effect should have had the ticket thrown out, the fine waived, and be subject to no more than $25 in court costs. See Sec. 328 of the Michigan Vehicle Code. This amendment was passed in response to the Driver Responsibility Act, which originally imposed an irreducible $300 fine for failure to produce the proof of insurance, even if insurance was in effect.

Although it might take a lawyer to make the necessary filings, anyone wrongly convicted of failure to show proof of insurance should petition to have their case re-opened and the conviction reversed. It may also be possible to have all penalties flowing from the wrongful conviction, such as license suspensions, reinstatement fees, and responsibility fees refunded or waived.

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15) True [by Anonymous Citizen on June 27, 2008]
"This amendment was passed in response to the Driver Responsibility Act, which originally imposed an irreducible $300 fine for failure to produce the proof of insurance, even if insurance was in effect."

This was part of the outcry against the stupid responsibility fees. Seems that a few older folks got popped for this one shortly after 2 penny jenny passed it. People went nuts and it was changed. The problem is that the rest of this horse excrement bill stayed put.

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16) Leaving Michigan [by Anonymous Citizen on June 10, 2008]
I am leaving Mi to avoid 2,000 responsibly fees any ideals on where to go.
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17) move [by Anonymous Citizen on October 27, 2008]
move florida just dont drive in michigan with a florida liscense as they are not valid in this stupid state
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18) CONCERNING FEES [by Anonymous Citizen on September 29, 2008]
GO DOWN SOUTH IF THEY HAVEN'T SUSPENDED YOU THEN YOU CAN GET A LICENSE. GIVING YOU TIME TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY IF YOU OWE TICKETS AND YOU CAN PLEA BY MAIL. I MOVED FROM MICHIGAN ABOUT 5 1/2 YRS AGO. I FOUND OUT THAT MY LICENSE WAS SUSPENDED
WHILE OUT OF TOWN. I HAD NO IDEA IT HAD GOTTEN THAT BAD OR I WOULD'VE STAYED DOWN SOUTH. I AM NOW IN TOLEDO. I WISH YOU LUCK ON GETTING AWAY.
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19) Reply - Leaving Michigan [by Anonymous Citizen on June 10, 2008]

Where to go? Depends. If you're a Republican, welcome to Colorado. If democRAT, go anywhere else. (Well...maybe not Wyoming. I've heard they shoot democRATs up there.)

Jim
Arvada, CO
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20) Granholm ain't a traditional dem [by Anonymous Citizen on July 11, 2008]
She is something called a dlcer. A Dem corrupted by lobbyist money. It is the republicans that introduced the bill you jerk.

Both parties represent the fucking rich now. We are a two party dictatorship. We need a general strike against this bullshit. It is the only way to put the fear of god into them when both parties are corrupted by big money interests.
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21) The Dems/socialists Can [by Anonymous Citizen on June 11, 2008]
go to either coast. Maybe tsan franthisco...
Then they will be able to see how badly their agenda will screw up the country.
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22) Bankruptcy? [by Anonymous Citizen on June 10, 2008]
We owe 6,000.00 3 this year and 3 next year, can we go into bankruptcy to wipe out this dept?
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23) God help us [by Anonymous Citizen on June 10, 2008]
My son 23 got a dui with an accident it was a blizzard that day and went to court 1500.00 fine which he paid.
He was then hit with a 2,000.00 responsibility and next year another 2,000.00. He lost his car, license and his job because I was unable to take him to work on time a few times. He is now living on food stamps and the devil goverment is calling on the phone demanding money. My husband has lost his job due to automobile cut backs and I don't see a way out of this mess and I am afraid my son is thinking suicide is the only way out for him.
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24) Annoyeddddd [by MIHATE on June 8, 2008]
I owe 6,000!!!!!!

Theyre threating to put a lein on my account...as if I have anything in there waiting for them!
We should demonstrate against this!!!
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25) Attorney [by Anonymous Citizen on June 6, 2008]
I am a defense attorney that handles a great deal of traffic related matters. Michigan's driver responsibility law is, in my opinion, a tax on the rich, a huge burden on the middle class, and an all out attack on the poor. Legal represenation costs money... there is no such thing as court appointed counsel for civil infractions! Those with lawyers often get out of their "points" at court. They also get charges that would incur huge DR fees knocked down to ones that don't even show up on one's driving record. Show up unrepresented and good chance you'll get nailed to the wall and have to pay twice as much as the affluent, plus DR fees (of which the court often doesn't advise the defendant of). Driver "responsibility" has NOTHING to do with driving skills, but money, sophistication of how the "system" works and how to work it. Without any semblence of quality public transportation in Michigan, how can anyone say driving is a "privilege"? A privilege of the rich?
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26) help [by Anonymous Citizen on June 28, 2008]
I owe six thousand dollars. I am in construction and can't hold a job without being able to drive. which means I can't afford to continue to live in Michigan where I have no family. Can I resolve this issue from another state?
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27) Need opinion [by Anonymous Citizen on June 19, 2008]
My husband lost his license 4 years ago due to getting a 2nd DUI. Although he has been eligible to TRY and get his license back for 3 years, as everyone knows it's not cheap. We FINALLY saved up the money, got an attorney and had a hearing date to request his license back on 6/25. On 6/16 he was driving home from work (because you have to work, and thanks to this lovely state, we have NO public transportation! So he has NO other choice) he was stopped by a state cop for having a Texas license plate on the FRONT of his truck. His Michigan plate which was in the rear of the vehicle all up to date and valid. He was not speeding and didn't violate any law. The cops said "you didn't do anything wrong, I just wanted to check out that plate, I lived in Texas once too!" Long story short, gave him a ticket for DWLS, a warning for the plate, and told him the DWLS wasn't a big deal, after my husband pleaded with him because of his upcoming hearing date. Any opinions from anyone on a good arguement to TRY and get this thrown out so we can TRY to get procede with getting his license back?? What are people supposed to do, Grandholm has run this state into the GROUND!
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28) Virginia refunds driver fees [by Anonymous Citizen on June 6, 2008]
In 2007, Virginia copied Michigan's Driver Responsibility Act, imposing large mandatory fines on several classes of traffic infractions. Virginia's fine for operating with a suspended license was $800 instead of Michian's $1,000, but the main difference was a $1,000 surtax for operating 20 m.p.h. over the posted limit. Lots of middle-class drivers could foresee getting $1,000-plus tickets on Virginia's underposted highways, where many freeway miles are at 55 m.p.h. and radar detectors are illegal.

Voters forced the legislature to repeal the surtaxes, in an emergency session. Virginia will restore the driver licenses of citizens who lost them under their program, and refund all the "abusive driver fees" that were paid in.

Refunds are the only honorable way to treat drivers who have paid these unconscionable fines, but no one is proposing to do that in Michigan, where the state has collected over $250 million from the state's poorest citizens (on billings of over $500 million, leaving over 100,000 people in debt to the state).

Bills to repeal this program remain untouched in both houses, under orders of the Democratic leadership in the House and the Granholm administration, and with the evident approval of the Republican leadership of the Senate. But the longer the legislature delays, the worse the injustice when it is finally forced to repeal the law and waive the hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid fines, making suckers out of those who actually paid them, with no hope of a refund.

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29) Moving to obtain a license [by Anonymous Citizen on May 22, 2008]
I read on one of these someone mentioning that you could get a license in Missouri if you are suspended in michigan. Not sure if it was in regards to this bill or the other, but i just want to mention that this is FALSE.
I live in Missouri, I owe driver responsibility fees in Michigan(never was a resident, legally, came from Missouri, went right back to missouri).
I cannot get my license back. Technically, I am valid in Missouri. If I had gotten my license back before the block from MI was placed on my license, I'd be able to legally drive here until it expired. However, they will not issue one to me because of the block. Don't feel bad folks, the BS is just as deep in some other places.
Now, if you didn't understand that..I am valid to get my license here in Missouri. But they still won't give it to me because of MI. A cop runs my name, they ask why I have a nondriver's license, because I even come across their scanners as being valid. Yet I do not have a license, and it's all because of this driver responsibility bull up there. I've spent the past year sleeping between one and two hours a night, almost the entire year, because between going to college full time, working full time, and taking care of my best friend who's been in and out of the hospital with serious issues that's all the time I have had left. If I didn't have to walk or call everyone i know to find someone who could help me get my friend to appointments or take us grocery shopping or whatever, I may know what sleep feels like. This law is destroying people. I for one have been ready to collapse, sleep for a week, and just give up on ever achieving anything worthwhile because I'm simply WAY beyond my limit!
Luckily my friend has finally recovered enough that that responsibility is off of my shoulders so i can start getting sleep, but honestly, I have no clue how I have managed it all. God help me if anymore difficulties arise, because I don't have the strength nor the will to keep struggling like I have been. I've been punished for the wrong I did, the laws i broke. I sat in jail, I paid what at the time was three entire months of pay in fines. And I've heard so many stories from poeple i've met in various places as well as on the web about the struggles this has caused for them, and what I've dealt with pales in comparison to what this law has done to some poeple's lives! This law has GOT to go.
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30) Fed-up Mother of Teen [by Anonymous Citizen on April 27, 2008]
My son was given a ticket for driving without a license, which he did not have because I could not afford to pay for driver education classes, I accept that he deserved the ticket, and the subsequent two others he got, but now he owes the state three thousand dollars in driver responsibility fees, and he had a drivers license number issued to him just so they could suspend it. Now he is twenty years old and in college and still can't get a drivers license because of the exorbitant fees they want. He is afraid to even open a bank account for fear they will take his money. This is ridiculous. If they still had free drivers education in High School like they used to, he never would have gotten the first ticket. He is a very good and responsible driver, but as long as they want this money and he is living in this state, he will never be able to get a drivers license, which hinders him finding a job, getting to school, etc. etc. The government of the state of Michigan SUCKS!!
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31) Re: Fed up mother [by Anonymous Citizen on May 21, 2008]
How is any of this the state's fault? The mess that your son finds himself in is solely of his own and your own making.

"If they still had free drivers education in High School like they used to, he never would have gotten the first ticket."

Driver's education was very properly removed from the high school curriculum. It should never have been the responsibility of the schools to teach kids to drive. That responsibility should have rested with the parents. Unfortunately, our society seems to think it is ok to dump more and more responsibility on teachers and schools because the parents are too lazy or inept to do their jobs.


"I could not afford to pay for driver education classes"

Was it a shock to you when your son turned 16 and needed to learn to drive? How about putting $5 a week aside in the years prior to his turning 16? That would have more than covered the expense. Even better, how about making him get a job to earn the money? Every year I see kids out in the neighborhood trying to earn money shoveling snow or mowing grass. He could have done that. He could have worked at McDonalds. He could have gotten an after school job doing just about anything.

"I accept that he deserved the ticket, and the subsequent two others he got"

So it was ok with you that your son broke the law, not once but 3 times? You allowed him to drive illegally 3 times and you're complaining that he received the consequences of his actions? That certainly takes a lot of nerve!

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32) re mad mother [by Anonymous Citizen on July 9, 2008]
this state is fu//ed up becuase of our jennifer she is the one to pull drivers ed from schools then imposes laws that are techinly double jeopretty so i say we should have a vote to impeach the canadian dyke
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33) RE: re: fed up mother [by Anonymous Citizen on July 5, 2008]
obviously your parents were a little confused and stuffed that silver spoon up your ass instead of in your mouth. You need a little real world education, instead of all those neat little books you read at harvard or some other ivy league date rape training academy, i mean, college. Not everyone is well off enough to make ends meet, even if they work their asses off. Then again, thinking about it now, you would make a great cabinet member for captain mole and the bitch brigade.
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34) do not judge til you are there [by Anonymous Citizen on June 7, 2008]
how dare you judge anyone. you are ridiculous in your statements and i wonder if you follow any of your own advice. you're probably just lucky enough to not find yourself in a sticky situation when there are morons like you trying to tell people what they should and shouldn't do. this driver responsibility fee is forcing everyone to leave the state in order to live. what will the state do after they've kicked all these people out? they'll come after you and i'd like to see you save your spare change, while paying your bills and walk to work everyday while the state rapes you of every penny you own. you should start putting $5.00 a day away for that now.
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35) Understand what you speak of before you speak [by Anonymous Citizen on May 22, 2008]
I feel the need to say soemthing in this mother's defense here.

You say it's entirely their fault, and it should be the parent's responsibility to teach their children how to drive? That's funny, how are they supposed to teach them if they can't put them behind the wheel of a car? You have to be certified to teach driver's education and have certain very expensive insurance etc. etc. to put a driver in training behind the wheel.

And before you start on the graduated license bull..I imagine some poeple have schedules that don't allow them to have time during the times their kids would be allowed to drive with them to teach them then. Oh, and might I mention that OUR TAXES PAY THE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS so responsibility WAS with the parents for their children learning to drive when the schools were teaching it. get your head some sunshine and understand what you're talking about before you go talking down to people. It's those like you who created the mess that has people leaving the state of Michigan vowing never to return in the first place. Me included. I've owed Driver Responsibility fines since literally ten days after it came into effect. i didn't know it until over a year later. I wasn't even a legal resident of the state, I'd been there less than two weeks. And Even dealing with tickets and court etc I was there less than the mandatory 90 days that is required to be legally considered a resident, and yet..I still owe the state of Michigan 3000 bucks for tickets I already paid near 1000 for, not to mention the month I spent in the Alger County Jail.
I have two words for anyone who supports this crap, and they're rather offensive, so I won't subject everyone else who reads this to them.
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36) Re: Understand [by Anonymous Citizen on May 22, 2008]
It is entirely their fault. The mother chose not to provide her son with driver's training. If she did not have the money to pay for training in one lump sum then she could have done what many people do when they know a big expense is coming up -- put a few dollars aside each week. There is always a way to save a few dollars each week -- coupons, not buying name brands, smoking fewer cigarettes, etc. The mother is also at fault for not making it very clear to her child that if you do not have a license you do not drive.

However, ultimately the fault lies with the son. He chose to purposely break the law 3 times. Forgive me for not feeling sorry for him.
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37) Its funny you are anonymous [by Anonymous Citizen on July 12, 2008]
Come in here and talk total nonsense about how the situation certain people find themselves in, but too scared to openly post your name? You have no balls, and probably are one of the well-to-do that can afford an attorney to get out of what DUI's you have gotten. GROW SOME BALLS, and actually post your name, do you even live in michigan?
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38) Re: Funny [by Anonymous Citizen on July 13, 2008]
"You have no balls, and probably are one of the well-to-do that can afford an attorney to get out of what DUI's you have gotten. "

So, because I believe that people should be responsible for the consequences of their actions, that makes me well-to-do? You have some very interesting logic. By the way, I am not well-to-do, nor could I ever afford a private attorney. I also do not have any DUIs because I am intelligent enough not to drink and drive. I am, quite frankly, sick and tired of people who choose to break the law (and in the case of the mother who posted regarding her son -- repeatedly and knowingly choose to break the law) complaining about receiving consequences for their own actions. To paraphrase an old saying, "If you can't pay the fine, don't do the crime."
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39) Blame Game [by Anonymous Citizen on May 20, 2008]
It sounds like both an irresponsible kid and an irresponsible mother.
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40) morons [by Anonymous Citizen on June 7, 2008]
sounds like an irresponsible state that wants to rape the poor and working middle class in order to pay off it's debts
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41) irresponsibility is what [by Anonymous Citizen on May 20, 2008]
you get when you give away your responsibility to a group that is neither prepared nor equipped to take it on.

why the legislature takes on SO MANY ADDED RESPONSIBILITIES when it can't even take care of the ones it's SUPPOSED to take care of, i'll never know.

now, driver's responsibility fees are a DUMB WAY TO RAISE MONEY.

1. it is a form of punishment.

2. it is double jeopardy, or more appropriately, double dipping. paying twice for the same offense.

3. it has tried to collect from the people that the state has already punished and collected from.

4. it is not a just punishment, so people rightfully avoid it's payment.

cure these ills by repealing this stupid law.


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42) so, vote out the [by Anonymous Citizen on April 27, 2008]
people who thought that 'driver responsibility fees' were a good idea, and elect people who think that REPEALING 'driver responsibility fees' is a good idea.

simple as that.

it may mean that democrats will need to stay home and complain that the conservatives are taking over, but such is life.
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43) It's not right [by Anonymous Citizen on April 7, 2008]
I have been charged with unlawful driving away of and automobile and I wasn't even driving. Now I have to pay a 1000 dollar driver responsibility fee 2 years in a row. I believe it is just plain wrong to lose your driving privileges for something that that happened while sitting in the passenger seat of a car.
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44) Maybe It's [by Anonymous Citizen on April 8, 2008]
just about the money and nothing else. Ya Think?
Any idiot that thinks the state has your best interests at heart should seek help immediatly. And the ones that believe all that "it's for the children" b.s. should go to the front of the line.
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45) If [by Anonymous Citizen on April 8, 2008]
they cared "about the children" they would close all the government indoctrination centers tomorrow. The schools in this country are living proof that they don't give a hoot "about the children". They have become a giant make work program at the state teat and are controlled by the teachers unions entirely.
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46) Garnishment [by Anonymous Citizen on April 3, 2008]
The state will garnish your wages if you do not pay the fines involved with your ticket. However, they cannot garnish your wages in order to retrieve the fee.

I am testament that you can stand up against this threat of garnishment because it is simply an empty one. I located testimony from a State lawyer, in court, stating that it is only a requirement to pay the fee IF you wish to get your drivers license back. Otherwise, you don't have to pay it.

Stop griping about it and do something! Stand up for your rights!
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47) to the Scum Bag [by Anonymous Citizen on April 3, 2008]
Actually, you are apparently rather uneducated in regards to our laws. The RIGHT to drive has been upheld in several U.S. Supreme Court cases. Hale Vs. Hinkle is one of the cases. Go ahead and google it. It will direct you to all the other cases that involve the supreme court saying that driving is a RIGHT and not a PRIVILEGE. so get over yourself and get a bit of real life education.
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48) tired of tyranny [by Anonymous Citizen on April 3, 2008]
these tyrants are in opposition to the constitution and your liberties. they have fully embraced communism and are imposing it on you. this canadian communist that is planning to give away your land, take your wealth, and abolish the constitution should be exposed. we the people have attended public school and been brain washed to think that our rights is a privilege granted by the state when in fact it is a privilege that the citizens granted to the state to have a free hard working people who fought for this state. our politicians have run a muck. They are in favor of taking children from families and placing them in the hands of strangers, they are in favor of privacy invasive policies, they are in favor of taking the hard earned wealth that you the citizen create. Since our states economy is the worst in the nation, maybe our representative’s pay should be among the worst in the nation to reflect the job that they are doing here. I propose that senators, reps, and the gov take 1/3 cut in pay and health insurance should come out of their own pockets.
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49) this is ridiculous.......... [by Anonymous Citizen on April 3, 2008]
I am a school bus driver and work for my county as a snow plow driver. I am furios with the State concerning this bill. I recieved a ticket in East Lansing near the Breslin center for doing 30 in a 25 mph zone(speed trap, I was visiting the MSU campus for a basketball tournament and didn't notice any signs posted for a speed reduction, in fact I was last in a line of 5 cars traveling the same speed. The ticket was $135 which doubled to $270 because payment was not recievd in the alloted time, btw I had trouble coming up with the $135 but who gives a crap right? anyhow the court wrote me explaining they would take the money from my state tax refund, cool with me, they held it up but I guess the process didn't go as fast as they wanted so someone decided to go ahead and suspend my license, I never recieved a letter from the state saying it was suspended."here comes the good part" a police officer from the neighboring township waited apx. 7 houses from my residence at a convenience store, allowed me to pass then got behind me and stopped me, informed me that I "fit the description of the owner of the car whos license was suspened", got the ticket for dwls paid the $270 + $150 in court fees 2 points = speeding ticket, 2 points = dwls, then recieved a letter from the state $500 in 30 days for driver responsibility and additional $500 this time next year on top of all that insurace for my vehicles went up. All tha to say this I had 0 points prior now 2+2+(3) for driver responsibility = 7 will likely loose both jobs because 7 is the limit at both, $1420 = tickets, fees & fines, insurance dramatically increased. What can I do?
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50) A Terrifically-sad Story [by Anonymous Citizen on April 4, 2008]
The bus-driver's story that began with a speeding ticket in East Lansing is terrifically sad, made doubly so by the fact that East Lansing's speed limits are invalid. The ticket that wound up costing this fellow over $1,500, his license, and possibly his job was itself illegal.

Michigan speed law changed on Nov. 9, 2006, requiring cities to re-post limits on major streets under their jurisdiction in accordance with the Uniform Traffic Code, or in accordance with a formula based on driveway frequency. (This is not true of state highways and county roads.) East Lansing has never brought its limits into compliance with state law, but continues to issue tickets under invalid limits. In some cases, East Lansing limits were legislated by its city council, something that was never legal under the old law.

Anyone getting a ticket for driving while license suspended should NOT plead guilty to this offense! Most judges will let you plead to a lesser offense that does not carry the mandatory (and possibly illegal) $1,000 fine. This is what Sen. Debbie Stabenow's husband did when he got such a ticket after getting pulled over in Troy recently for dallying with a prostitute. He wasn't charged for that offense, and the judge let him skate on the DWLS offense and avoid the $1,000 fine. In the interest of fairness, many judges will not let even a rich driver, such as the Senator's husband, voluntarily plead guilty to driving with a suspended license.

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51) i feel ya.... [by Anonymous Citizen on April 3, 2008]
sympathy from texas. we have the same unethical draconian legalized-extortion practices out here. whats going in these united states? living as an expatriot in somewhere like.....i dunno.....sri lanka.....is becoming more and more enticing each day.....
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52) Wage Garnishment [by Anonymous Citizen on March 24, 2008]
I did not pay a stop sign ticket in 2004 until 2005 as I was out of state. This fine has cost me over $2,500.00. Suspended license fee and ticket, stop sign ticket, driver responsibility fee. My wages were garnished causing a great hardship. 25% of my weekly pay went to State of Michigan. I have now paid off that debt and owe $125 to get my license reinstated. Granhold has put this state in a mess. Double dipping. Most people that are assessed these fees are hard working, good people that did not have the money initially to pay a ticket. What a way to run a state.
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53) if 'responsibility fees' are [by uber-liberal on March 31, 2008]
such a good idea. why doesn't granholm have to pay one for messing up this state so badly?


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54) GRF - WTF? [by Anonymous Citizen on March 31, 2008]
How about a "government responsibility fee" ??

They have screwed up so many times, they would own us BILLIONS!!!!!!

These jerk wads. Talk about a bunck of F ups!!!!!!!!!!

OMG - Hacks, their ALL hacks!!!!!!!!!!


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55) Great Law [by Anonymous Citizen on March 24, 2008]
This law is great! Dirt bags that aren't responsible shouldn't drive. Driving is not a right, it is a privelage and if you're a scumbag that doesn't haver insurance or pay your fines, you don't deserve to drive - You should be thrown in prison!!!
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56) FUCK OFF MUTHEFUCKER [by Anonymous Citizen on August 8, 2008]
BIG TALK FROM SOME BITCH ASS PUSSY POSTING ANONYMOUSLY ON A FORUM ON THE INTERNET. ITS FUCKS LIKE YOU THAT LET THE GOVERNMENT TROMP ALL OVER RIGHTS OF THE LESS PRIVILEGED. YOU WILL GET YOURS ONEDAY.
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57) I have the right!! [by Anonymous Citizen on May 3, 2008]
You know all people make mistakes, I am a 19 year old male who has lost my license back when I was 17. I will be 20 this year and yet have a long time to wait until I can get mine back, so the only reason you are saying this is because you have never been through this experience.
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58) no, we haven't made [by Anonymous Citizen on May 3, 2008]
the bad decisions you have.


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59) actually [by Anonymous Citizen on April 28, 2008]
i was hit with this "fee" for no proof of insurance, i HAD insurance, but didnt have the slip in my car because i was returning from a car show and had taken it out when i cleaned my car and forgot to put it back in. the officer specifically told me that this ticket wasnt fixable by showing my proof of insurance so i went ahead and paid the ticket. i had no idea that these fees were being applied and had my license suspended. I recieved no notice that i was suspended so got pulled over and arrested for driving on a suspended. they also impounded my car,which caused me to lose my job because i live in the middle of no where. i dont have access to public transportation and cannot walk to a job. I have since moved back in with my parents (who also live in BFE.) and am pretty much stuck untill this law gets repealed because i cant pay the fees because i cant get back and forth to work. I tried to get them to give me a temporary license so i could at least get to and from work and they wont give me one. which means i have no way of paying these fees. its people like you that are the problem with this country. you automatically thing that the law only applys to people who intentionally broke the law. i never intentionally broke the law and wouldnt have driven had they done more to make sure i knew my license was being suspended, and would have paid the fees had THEY told me that i was beeing assessed them. but even if i dont get the notice im still responsible for them...how is that fair? what the hell do they think i am a psycic? well i say SHAME ON YOU and i hope you are assessed these fees and lose every thing you have!
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60) Yeah But [by Anonymous Citizen on April 28, 2008]
they took a harzard to society off the road. (sarcasm) These people are running a police state and will take all of our money sooner or later.
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61) your crazy [by Anonymous Citizen on April 23, 2008]
here is an example for you i got a ticket for no "proof" of insurance... card expired that day. I was charged normal fines which i paid and a 200 dollar driver respos... i never recieved notice on the second payment a year later and I was pulled of for DWLS... now I can't driver for 2 weeks untill my payment clears then if I actually get convicted of DWLS i have to pay $500 to the state for 2 years $125 reinstatment fee (AGAIN) and the the fines.... because I didn't have proof of insurance (I did in fact have insurance) I could wind up spending over $2000 total. and miss 2 weeks of work. **** granholm. thats 20% of my take hom yearly
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62) Ms [by Anonymous Citizen on April 10, 2008]
That is a lie. I recieved the drivers resposibility fee after I paid my tickets and I had insurance. I received three tickets in 2 years and they stuck me with a fee of $350 to pay within 15 days. That is so not cool and it is wrong, I think I am showing that I am responsible by paying my tickets on time, why should a person have to pay more???? The ticket is high enough!!
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63) Great law [by Anonymous Citizen on March 31, 2008]
You are obvisouly a Michigan goverment employee I can judge that by you inability to spell.
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64) great law [by Anonymous Citizen on April 26, 2008]
yeah right! obviously a brainwashed government employee.
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65) darn tootin [by Anonymous Citizen on April 3, 2008]
that is a great observation! this guy/gal probable supports state sanctioned gulags and capital punishment for jay-walker. what a mohron......ooops
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66) head stuck up you know where [by Anonymous Citizen on March 30, 2008]
You are ignorant and obviously look at every thing as either black or white--people like you are dirt bags.
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67) you suck [by Anonymous Citizen on March 25, 2008]
the reason i have a drivers responsibility fee is because i was in a car acident. the acident was not my falt and because i was 19 and the other person was a older lady they belived her over me. i am now 23 and i'm working and going to college. but i keep getting arested because i cant pay the 5,000 they want.
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68) ignorant to new law [by Anonymous Citizen on March 30, 2008]
I sympathize with you. My son received a ticket for no proof of insurance in the vehicle, we had insurance in the vehicle but had just moved and could not find it right away. We were ignorant to the new law any way his license was suspended to lack of payment and every thing has snow balled, he now has 3 driving on a suspended license and I see no end to this--all stemming over insurance that we had--I can still prove it. HE is in to the thousands now and is only 23, I don't know what to do. I am with you---and we are not scum bags, just people who work hard and didn't pay close attention to the new law which is DOUBLE JEOPARDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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69) Shame on you [by Anonymous Citizen on March 24, 2008]
"This law is great! Dirt bags that aren't responsible shouldn't drive. Driving is not a right, it is a privelage and if you're a scumbag that doesn't haver insurance or pay your fines, you don't deserve to drive - You should be thrown in prison!!!"

Firstly, let me fix up your commentary:

"This law is great! Dirt-bags who aren't responsible shouldn't drive. Driving is not a right; it is a privilege, and if you're a scumbag who doesn't have insurance or pay his fines, then you don't deserve to drive--you should be thrown into prison!"

I think there were five punctuation errors and two spelling bloopers. I lost count of the grammatical decrepitude after the first sentence. Also, I spotted two ad-homs and a threat of violence. You do realize that our children may be reading this forum, don't you? Imagine the shame you'd feel if your hasty post were responsible for the corruption of our kids' language skills. The threat is real, as studies have shown. For this reason, I will immediately write my state congressperson to demand a new law (the Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation Responsibility Act) that would punish, with a fine of $5000 per offense, any internet bloviator who would crap up our fine language in any forum in which children could be present. Hopefully this measure would lead to the speedy reform of rhetorical miscreants such as yourself.
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70) MOVE [by Anonymous Citizen on August 29, 2008]
I AM MOVING. THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST PATHETIC STATE IN THE COUNRTY!!!!

What is the responsibility fee for child abuse or rape? how about killing a stripper at a party?

What is the responsibility fee for your daddy bribing the dean to allow you into his school?
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71) wow [by Anonymous Citizen on June 28, 2008]
Big words for a nano brain. If you don't know what the heck you are talking about mabey you should study up. People with your self righteous attitude make me ill. The legislation you are so fond of is unconstitutional. You should read the constitution you might learn a little.
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72) how [by Anonymous Citizen on March 25, 2008]
when it happens to you and you want to kill yourself because every time you get a job to pay the bill you go back to jail again because you can't drive. if they wont let you drive to work to pay them back, how do they expect you to pay
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73) spelling [by Anonymous Citizen on March 24, 2008]
do you know what spell check is?
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74) so, how many [by Anonymous Citizen on March 24, 2008]
fines should you get for one infraction?

one?

two?

ten?

be eternally fined?

the current law fines you twice. once for the ticket, and once for a 'responsibility fee'.

one is fair and just, as it is set by a judge. the other is unfair and unjust, as it is set by someone sitting in an office, and it is automatic, no matter the circumstances involved.

it is not justice, it is simply fund raising.
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75) Driver Responsibilty *******s [by Anonymous Citizen on March 12, 2008]
Yup, going on 3 years without a license because these *******s think they can send me a piece of paper saying I owe $2,000 and Im just going to pay them, yea right. Money hungry dirtbags, what kind of government shuts down, remember that, i woke up one morning to find out the government shut down and was restarted in one night. These people are a damn joke, Granholm is a ****** **** ***, and the day my money goes from my pocket into these pieces of ****'s palms is the day Granholm isn't a **** ******* ******. I've had the money to pay on many occassions but can't bring myself to do it, i just can't. **** em **** em **** em. now they have an extra unlicensed, therefore uninsured driver on the road, me, and im gonna keep on driving, if I rack up more fees, im gonna keep on driving, if I rack up more fees, im gonna keep on driving, if I rack up more fees, im gonna keep on driving, if I rack up more fees, im gonna keep on driving, if I rack up more fees, im gonna keep on driving, try and stop me from your little ******* offices, bet you never catch me and I swear to God I WILL NEVER PAY. oh yeah, all this because my friend backed into another one of my friends lightpole and I was dumb enough to take the blame for it not knowing about this ******** Fee. so much for the actual driver taking responsibility but that is not what the ******* driver responsibility fee is even really about is it.
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76) New License [by Anonymous Citizen on March 31, 2008]
Go get a drivers license in Wisconsin or Missouri they are not online with Michigan do not mention your Michigan Drivers license. You will only need a tax bill, electric bill, etc. the state websites list what you need for proof of residencey to get a license in there state.

You can go online find what you need scan and edit and your home free simple.

You be surpised to see how many Michigan residents have a Wisconsin drivers license.
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77) wtf?! [by Anonymous Citizen on March 10, 2008]
I got some tickets for dwls (wasn't informed of suspension), DW NO Ins (my fault), DW Invalid plate (was switched by someone, don't know who, most likely someone who was stealing gas at gas stations) even the cop said that it looked recently tampered with. Went to jail for 2 days for all of this, car was impounded and sold on auction because I couldn't pay the almost $1000 in tickets in the time they gave me. Then here i am 4 years later and I had to pay off those $1000 in tickets, plus late fee's of another 400, plus my driver fees of $1700, plus another 600 this year?! WTF is that shite?! I'm sorry but after the first $1000 plus jail time AND losing my car, I think i would have learned my lesson!!! Now i finally have my stuff paid off except this years other $600 that I just got notice for and have my license back. I got notice saying if I do not pay within 30 days my license will be revoked until paid plus have to pay the reenstatement fee. omg Ms Granholm. Havn't you screwed up our state up financially enough? You had to put people in the poor house too?! i see more and more homeless people in downtown GR everyday and people are robbing others more and more because of all of your excess taxing! This state is going to burn before it knows it and all it'll do is throw its hands up in the air and say "What happened?!"
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78) Let the punishment fit the crime. [by Anonymous Citizen on February 28, 2008]
My son just came from court where not only does he have to finish paying off the original $2000 responsibility fee, but the state revoked his license when he badly broke his leg and couldn't pay the last $500. One of our useless state cops pulled him over for not using his blinker and informed my son his license was revoked....(The state has not been notifying people of this situation.) Anyway, my son now owes $490 for the balance of his court fees, is on tether for thirty days, his vehicle will be clubbed and he now owes the state another $1000. Hey Jennifer,
I voted for you and you have certainly let us down.
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79) Ashleigh [by Anonymous Citizen on February 2, 2008]
Ok, this is crazy, but I got my permit and I was afraid to parralel park so I just kept driving on the permit. I got caught and I didnt have proof of insurance in the car. I paid 2,800 in tickets to the county and did 2 days in jail.

Now I have to pay $1400 in driver responsibility fees to get a drivers license. I a single mother of two kids. For two years I have worked at a local convenience store so i can walk to work. I work for minimim wage and work about 20 -25 hrs a week. It's the best I can do without a license.

I know I made mistakes and I haven't driven for 3 years. But my family is faced with total proverty because I cant go get my license without another 1400 payment.

This is like double jeopardy. Who knows when I will ever be able to drive again. I have ambitions to continue my education and attain a better job to support my family .... but I have handicapped by this law.

Cant a girl get a second chance to do the right thing?

trudycampbell@charter.net
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80) question [by frustrated on January 23, 2008]
can anyone tell me if an out of state driver is truly responsible for the payment of this fee.
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81) Double dipping compounded [by Anonymous Citizen on January 23, 2008]
I happen to be from a neighboring state that had a qualifying offense in Michigan. My state saw it as an offense worth 3 points, Michigan assessed 7 so that they could get this fee and now are holding my license renewal in my current state until I pay 2k to Michigan. In other words I'm paying in my current state, I pay in Michigan and let us not forget our insurance companies. And for what, we still have homeless on the streets. Maybe not enough for our legislators.
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82) Double-Dipping [by Anonymous Citizen on January 14, 2008]
Michigan Drivers Responsibilty is just another way to double-dip the residence of Michigan!!! My little brother presently owes close to $8,000.00 in fees to Michigan because he refuses to pay and shouldn't and is being penalized every year until he pays. Like that's going to make him pay quicker!! This law should have been fought and kept off the books!! Senator Gleason needs to step up his efforts to get this off the books and other Senators need to get their heads out of Granholms a** and support the repeal of this law. Granholm, or as I like to call her, the Wicked Witch in Lansing with her moles all over her faces continues to screw this State one penny at a time! Michigan has been financially destroyed by the Granholm administration!!! We are being financially raped with this law!! Jobs are scarce enough and we are losing money everyday but hey, lets pay some stupid fee because are plates are a day or two over renewal or were insured but forgot to put the new certificate in the car, we go out an have a social drink with dinner and get stopped, we keep up with the traffic and go over 3-5 mph and we're the one stopped. We pay through the nose to Courts and yet our rape doesn't end there oh no, the State now has to get their two cents in and keep the rape going on for one to two years anywhere from $125.00 to $1,000 each year!!!! I love the State of Michigan but the government needs to go before we are all forced to put on welfare and living in cardboard boxes!!
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83) state sponsored extortion [by Anonymous Citizen on March 21, 2008]
I had a traffic violation while driving through New York. I was being careless and I have no problem paying the fine to the state of New York. I didn't know that I would be fined again by Michigan for committing a traffic violation in another state. Now I have to pay this bullshit 150 dollars or getting my licence suspended. I am getting fined twice for the same offense. Another thing I find interesting is that they made a point about paying another 125 dollars if you do not pay the fine by its due date, but I stared over the letter front and back and could not find a due date anywhere. I guess the state mofia wants to leave room to accuse you of being late no matter when you send in the payment. This law is just extortion in disguise, pay us money or something bad will happen to you.
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84) and here it is 6 months later [by loosenut on January 13, 2008]
and still no repeal.. F@ck the state of michigan, people are cool, but F@ck michigan, lets give it to canada, queen jen's plan from the start i think...

elmers_fuddy@yahoo.com
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85) Irresponsible Fee [by Bethany0728 on January 12, 2008]
Part One: My story

I went to a party with some co-workers and had a few to drink. I stopped drinking and (responsibly) waited a couple hours before departing. When I wanted to leave, one co-worker (Charles Zabel, of Grand Rapids, MI) decided for me that I was not going to leave. After some disagreement I did leave, and was shortly thereafter pulled over on the street of my destination (just a few houses down) - because he called the police on me.

My BAC was .08. I take responsibility for driving, I shouldn't have been. I realize the chances of my getting into an accident and hurting someone were much greater than if I were sober. However, I drove responsibly, safely, and I reached my destination without any problems.

This was reduced to a driving impaired. Fines totaling approximately 1,000 dollars. Add court fees. Add alcohol counseling fees. Driver's Impact Panel class fee. OAR class fee. Getting caught driving on a suspended license? 200 dollars plus 6 days in jail. Fees for staying in jail - 380 dollars. Fees for talking to a prosecuting attorney - 50 dollars each time. The list goes on and on. Needless to say this has hurt me a great deal financially, not to mention personally as it is extremely difficult as many of you know to live and work without a means to get around.

Part Two: Driver's Responsibility Fee, A Good Idea?

Add 500/year (x two years) for the driving impaired and an ANOTHER 500/year (x two years) for the driving on a suspended license charge. Sooo... I guess the first fines and jail time I received for these offenses just weren't enough?

Our government thinks it is a good idea to kick these people (who are going through a great deal of financial hardship) while they are down. How will this help? The literature they gave me says it is to promote greater traffic safety. If this is so - where is the proof? Does anyone here feel safer on the roads since this was enacted in 2003? When I hear "greater traffic safety" I hear "more police enforcement" ... another way to grab our money.

This is a great disservice to the citizens of this state. In my opinion, it is not helping anyone. It is helping the state because they get to STEAL our money.

I don't think the majority of people think this is a good thing. Maybe I'm wrong.

Part Three: The Next Step

What can we DO? I am writing this in hopes of getting some information from anyone - what can we DO ABOUT THIS? This NEEDS to be revoked.

Like someone said - this is OUR governement, the government exists to SERVE US. That IS it's intention according to the constitution of the United States. If someone can argue how these ridiculous and unreasonable additional fines are a service to the people, please do so. I want to know.

PLEASE contact me (bethany0728@hotmail.com) if you have any ideas or information on how I can get involved in the reversal of this law.

If we don't do anything, if we let these things happen and sit by passively, our government will continue to get bigger and bigger (and it is - new laws are passed all the time). Who knows - maybe someday you'll be paying a "Citizen Responsibility Fee" for smoking in a public area and spend some time in jail. From the way things are going right now I don't see that as any stretch of the imagination.

Bethany (bethany0728@hotmail.com)



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86) MI DRIVERS "RESP" FEE [by Anonymous Citizen on January 7, 2008]
The drivers responsiblity it yet another way for the state to try to balance their own budget at the expense of it's citizens. I have not gotten a ticket of any kind for over 16 years but got pulled over because my plates were 4 days past their expiration. I now have to pay $200 for the next two years. What a way for the state to show proof of additional income! Thanks to all of you who voted for Granholm again. She did a bang up job the first time what made any of you think that it would get better.

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87) run, and run fast....... [by Anonymous Citizen on December 27, 2007]
first off, f&*k the state of michigan, f&*k them dead in their ear! maybe then they will listen. This law has hurt more people than anyone will ever realize. I moved to arizona over 2 years ago. Relinquished my state citizenship by obtaining an Arizona state id, and yes i said state id, because michigan stole my driving privileges, flat out stole them, but on to my point. I am a resident of the state of arizona, registered to vote here, have an address and bills coming to my house in my name, so id say i have pretty much established residency here. But for some odd reason i am still required to pay a reinstatment fee to a state that i no longer live in, and that i will not be renewing my license in. My license is suspended currently in the state of michigan for failure to pay my driver responsibility fee. Mind you, i have never had a dui, possession of drugs, an accident, a speeding ticket, reckless driving, none of em. I got hit for a seatbelt ticket and no proof of insurance. i had insurance and showed proof to the court yet i still have to pay a d.r.f. regardless of the fact that i was not guilty. My license has been suspended for going on 3 years now, and will probably remain suspended for some time because i have refused and will continue to refuse to let this state rip me off. I am half tempted to come back to michigan and get residency back, and file for welfare. Once i get said welfare i will promptly move back to arizona and obtain student residency, which is effectively dual residency in both michigan and arizona. Then i just sit and collect all my michigan welfare checks and reside in the beautiful sunny state of arizona. Lets see how the lawmakers react when i send them an itemized breakdown of how much money i have bilked from them over the years in welfare. I bet their tunes would change when they see that just because they got greedy and wanted to flat out rip off the residents of the state of michigan, that a citizen figured out a way to get over on them and reap 40 or 50 thousand dollars in welfare, all because they wanted to steal 1000 dollars from me. i bet they would shove their heads up their own rose smelling asses. So i say once again, F&*K MICHIGAN, F&*K THEM IN THEIR DAMNED EAR!!!!
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88) Pure Bull [by Anonymous Citizen on November 11, 2007]
I was visiting my mother in grand rapids early 2005 and a lady tried to squeeze past me on sherman and fuller... tapped tha rear end of my mothers car we both got out inspected the cars no damage was done. the next day an officer came to my mothers house saying i hit and ran. we went downtown fixed everything 8months later i started getting fines and fees thru the mail saying i owe for no proof of insurance i paid on it but didnt pay the responsibility fee. they kept sending letters saying that my license would be suspended if i didnt pay. in 2006 i got in to a car accident and i got a ticket for suspended license and no proof of insurance with the grand total of my fee to be $1800. what should i do? tazz49507@yahoo.com
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89) Drivers Responsibility Fees [by jmiller on October 8, 2007]
Hello,
My name is Janet Miller and in 2004 I got arrested for a DUI, which I had paid my fines and court costs, but on top of that I got 1000.00 in drivers responsibility fees that at first I could not pay, I was a student in a medical administrative class and was not working, by time I started working at a job that I could afford the fees another 1000.00 was tacked on plus an additional 500.00 because I was unable to pay, i have a fairly good job now and have paid a few payments and now have the garnished from my check which I have no problem with, the problem I have now is I usually get rides back and forth to work, well one day last week my ride called and said she couldn't make it because her car broke down, we have a old car he that is insured and licensed, so i decided to drive it to work so I didn't miss a day but low and behold got pulled over on my way to work which is 4 miles one way, because my muffler was to loud. Needless to say I got a ticket for driving on a suspended license. So i will have to pay that ticket and the responsibilty fees that will come along with it, also I am still on probation and may be facing jail time just because I needed a way to work. I am trying my best to do whats right paying my bills and fees and still trying to keep my job, I am in such a spot that I don't know what to do or who to talk to I have a 7 year old daughhter, that is in soccer and Girl Scouts and I am also her Girl Scout leader, how is one to manage if I can't get my license back until my fees are paid and can't pay my fees if I can't make it to work unless I rely on other people. Like I said i have no problem paying the fees as it was I who made the mistake of drinking and driving but it will take me atleast another three years to pay off these fees at 100.00 a month that I am paying. If i knew anyone that had that kind of money I would have borrowed it along time ago to pay this off but I come from a family that struggels as it is and are in no position to help me out at this time. Please let me know who I am able to talk to about this situation, most everyone i know has had some sort of drivers responsibility fee against them since this law was passed. How does Michigan expect people to keep there jobs if they don't have licenses to get there.
Thank You
Janet Miller

madchiller6972@yahoo.com

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90) this is bad [by Anonymous Citizen on September 17, 2007]
my problems stated a copple years ago. I already had a few speeding tickets at this time but, I went out a got 3 more speeding tickets in one mounth 2 of them in the same day. I didn't heve enough money to pay the fines and leave state at tmy he same time so I left state and for 6 mounths i delivered pizza in V.A. on a suspension. I came back to pay my fines, and such. Meet up with some friends and went to the lodge in frankimuth to play pool. My friend got on it in the empty parking lot. so i droped the hamer grabed some e-break and took the corner in the back of the parking lot a 65 in full drift. my pool game was interupted by 6 cops and 8 managers including the owner. after being told thet i could have hit a kid (wandering though an empty parking lot at 11pm) I was booked at the sagnaw county jail. and i was the only one there for non-drug charges. The court fined me $130 and the state two b.s. fees for 500 and two more for 250 for having more than 7 points. after paying prior tickets and late fees i was over $3000 in at this time. I went to college in ohio and got a ticket there 3 points for 15 over and if you were wondering that counts here to. that put me over 12 pts for a two weeks then a prior ticket dropped off my reckord. 4 mounths after that to week period I was to go to a rexaminatoin about the pionts issue, but the notice never came in the mail. at this time i'm driving 17,000 miles a mounth delivering new bikes and quads anywhere east of the mississippi 1 mounth ago i found out that my drivers liscense has ben suspended for the past 5 mounths, when i lost my wallet and went to get a new id. and today i got wheeled for a loud exaust and got another driving on a suspended ticket. i'm not paying it cuz guess what it dobbels this time two $1000 fines. and i have to quit my job and what the hell kind of job can i get in b.f.e. that i dont have to drive to. anyways if anyone would like to know more abut my issues or tell me about theirs hit me up on myspace screanname
almighty drift king
home_skillit_g_u_not@yahoo.com
by the way all this fast driving over the past 5 years and at least 200,000 miles, they fee me for driving unsafely and I have never ben in an accident at fult or not.
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91) Mich & VA driver fees [by Anonymous Citizen on August 31, 2007]
Unfortunately it's too late I fear. Seems all these hopefull rounds of lawsuits are being shot down, and the one they thought would win was reversed by the circuit court.

The ones who won't be voted out, RECALL them. No online petition will do what the real thing can. File the paperwork and collect official signatures to remove alBONE head and GOOBER kaine, along with GOOBER granholm. You know they're just grandstanding in VA saying if they keep their job they'll make sure it gets better. Ya, it'll get better when you're gone. You didn't do your job in the first place by doing research or investigating the impact of this law. They blew their chance to save their part of the world, micro brain heros.
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92) Michigan and Virginia [by Anonymous Citizen on August 30, 2007]
I hope you repeal your fees. VA's $3,000 fees have caused a great uproar in Virginia. They will be gone next election, along with a lot of VA legislators. Democratic VA Gov "Boss Hogg" Kaine won't call a special session to repeal now because he wants the voters to take their anger out on Republicans.
This crazy abuse of drivers must be stopped nationwide.
Steve Hollingsworth
Virginia
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93) 2 G's under [by Anonymous Citizen on August 28, 2007]
bumped into a car. no one was home. drove away, and someone got my plate. get a call from the police and they end up sending me a drivers fee. 2-$1000 fees for 2 years. I was just in college and already 2 G's under. unfair and shitty
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94) The Washington Post is not [by Anonymous Citizen on August 27, 2007]
against us at least. Since they did publish a story with the information and contacts I gave them here in MI.

They published a story on VA new driver fee law with commentary by MI Judge Buhl and Rep. Pierce on how OUR law and the one in NJ is a failure and so will theirs be.

I hope Judge Buhl is enjoying his extra 15 min of fame that I gave him, since I saw his name in a later separate editorial for another news agency in addition to the earlier WA post one. Because it seems none of the big guns want to touch on MI issue because we haven't made such a big outcry like VA citizens have.

Notice how CNN only VIDEO reported a story the AP did, on that obese VA woman who got a $1,050 reckless driving fine because she was speeding to the hospital claiming labor pains? I guess you can only get hardship cases on the news nowadays. Trust me, I tried all of them before submitting my story to the WA post.

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/23/AR2007072301631.html

Seems the legislature in VA is just as brain dead as they are here. At least they're fighting and hopefully a blow for justice will be served with all these pending lawsuits. The verdict of which WE might be able to use to have ours thrown out, since I doubt Henry Guikemas brief in the supreme court of MI will win.
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95) Everthing Targets Poor [by Anonymous Citizen on August 25, 2007]
CEO's, Insurance Execs, School Administrators making billions while the margin of people working through temp services at 9 bucks an hour with no afforadable benefits is exanding exponentially like CEO pay. Every law passed out of lansing just kills the working person. And the 4th branch of government "news media" is against us as well.
When are people going to grow a back bone collectively and do something about this?
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96) Thats Because [by Anonymous Citizen on August 27, 2007]
"And the 4th branch of government "news media" is against us as well."

Most of them are owned lock stock and barrel by the libs/dems/socialists

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97) Froze Husbands bank account [by Anonymous Citizen on August 24, 2007]
In Nov. of 2005 I got a DUI. I admit that I had a few beers at the restaurant and I know I probably shouldn't have been driving. It was raining and when I turned the corner exiting the highway, my car slipped a little and I nearly hit a curb. It was cold out and I think the ice on the roads had a bit to do with it.
$2000 for the lawyer. $2000 in fines in court. $1500 for the increase in insurance (I'm 32 and this was my very first ticket). Year 1, $1000 for a driver responsibility fee. Year 2, $1000 for a driver responsibility fee. I missed my July payment this year. We just don't have the money. Then in August, I receive a letter stating that I have until August 29th to resolve the payment missed or they will suspend my license. I had just deposited the check to pay the fine online via EFT yesterday. Then last night we log in to HIS bank account to pay a few bills. "I AM NOT ON THE ACCOUNT" only to find that they have frozen the account and placed a levy against the $370 in it. This morning we find three bounced checks and $75 in fines for those.
Looks like we are headed straight down into a pit of financial trouble over this and we have no idea what to do.
Can they freeze his account for my driver responsibility fee?
Why didn't they send some type of notice that they were going to do this?
If you know of any information that might help, please let us know.
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98) Snowball Effect [by Anonymous Citizen on August 23, 2007]
I am a single mother of two and despite working two jobs we still fall below the poverty level. I first heard of this law when I received a notice in the mail in 2003 after getting a "no proof" ticket. I assumed since the ticket was waived when I brought the proof of insurance to the courthouse that the fee would be waived as well. My license was suspended when I refused to pay the $300.I continued to drive my child to daycare and drive to work. Now the state is threatening to take the small amount of assistance ($2 hour toward childcare)and garnish my wages if I do not pay $220 monthly. If I can't afford daycare, I can't work and will have to rely on state funded programs even more. This law targets the poor. People who have the means to pay the fees are not the ones being hit with them.
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99) annonymous citizen2 [by Anonymous Citizen on August 21, 2007]
I agree with you, they work for us but we continue to beg them to get their feet off our necks. My son was hit with these fees and the financial toll it has taken on our family is unbelievable. Jennifer Granholm knew what effect these fees would have on the people of Michigan; she just did not care; neither did our representatives from either party. They knew that once they passed this legislation there would be nothing the people could do to get rid of it; That is why they did it without our imput. There is no use in challenging it in court because the juges get their kick backs from this too. This is not a democracy, these people do whatever they want to us. If we elect a democrat or a republican in the next election, do you really think that they are going to stop robbing us by giving up this revenue source? The issue of these fees will not even come up during the general election. We need to find an effective way to fight back.
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100) Fed up [by AnthonyGR on August 27, 2007]
I also got a fee for drunk driving.(No accident or injury) I did jail time, thousands in fines and costs and rehab.(All well deserved and served me well) I am now a Social Work Major at a university. I was told that I had to pay responsibility fee before I got my licence back. So I did not pay it as there is no way I could afford a vehicle right now. A few months ago I get a notice in the mail stating my accounts would be frozen and my wages garnished. I had to take out an extra loan to begin paying the fee. Otherwise the state said they would have frozen the federal loan and grant money in my account and garnished my $69.72 a week salary. I will never view this government the same again, and will be leaving Michigan after my degree is completed. Get out while you still have the resources to do so!
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101) Illegal, unconstitutional TAX! [by Anonymous Citizen on August 11, 2007]
That idiot Granholm should be held accountable for ruining this economy. Imposing these unconstiutional, taxes on the citizens should be ILLEGAL. Way to stick it to the working man Granholm, you truly are the shining example of idiocy in government.

We, the citizens, owe it to ourselves and future generations to HOLD GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE! If we fail, then insane, idiots like mole faced Granholm will continue to ram these illegal scams down our throats. This is classic nazi gestapo tactics at work, you simply cannot live without a driver license. This is how they control you, by taking your driving "privilege" away with these stupid, ridiculous, excessive "fees".

This is OUR government, they work for US. WE give them the power, and WE can take it away. We need to hold these people accountable, the legislators, the judges, and the idiots in the executive branch.

And anyone who voted for that idiot, piece of human waste Granholm, owes EVERYONE an apology.
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102) Excellent Post [by Anonymous Citizen on August 13, 2007]
And it is all about CONTROL
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103) Never elect a woman [by Anonymous Citizen on August 11, 2007]
Especially one from Canada. She has ruined our state. We {you} got what we {you} voted for!!!
Can you spell Re-call?
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104) I'd vote for [by Anonymous Citizen on August 11, 2007]
condoleeza rice for president, or ann coulter.


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105) 2008 [by Anonymous Citizen on August 13, 2007]
Thompson / Coulter
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106) I disagree [by plumberboy on August 7, 2007]
I strongly disagree that there is nothing we can do about our government we the people are the boss.The government wants to make us feel defeated but we aren't I say go to the ballot box and take advantage of our rights assemble people get petitions going to institute law changes there is so much we as American citizens and Michigan residents can do it's unreal.This country and states legal system is so crooked and corrupt it's unreal it needs a major overhaul but until we the people start uniting together for change it won't happen.Freedom is not myth of years past it's there waiting like a silent army all we have to do is unite and call it to active duty.The problem is people have to really want freedom or will continue to elude them if masses form and start demanding more personal freedoms and vote outside the two party system we will get change but it has to be a desire and belief deep with in a person and we stand firm on that belief and never waiver and never back down.
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107) yeah we'll just see about this [by Anonymous Citizen on August 7, 2007]
look people, the fact of the matter is we have no control over what the government does. This is not a good thing. I wish i could say i was an innocent victim of this "fee" but the fact is that on january 24th of 2004 after breaking up with a girlfriend of four years I went out drinking. after being pulled over and passing and the roadside sobriety tests a block from my house after being followed for nearly three miles i was asked to take a pbt or roadside breath test. I asked the officer why after passing all his other tests and he Then said that my eyes were shaking during the test. I wasn't wasted I knew exactly what was going on, and in hindsight i should have refused the pbt, i would have been better to make the officer rely on his own judgement as to wether or not to arrest me rather than rely on this inadmissable evidence. I blew a .10 after he told me that he would let me go if i blew the legal limit or below. At witch point i said cool thats the legal limit right? to witch he replied yeah a few months back... as i was unaware that the new legal limit was .08.... damn.. so here i sit three years and some months later still without a license, am i mad? not really, yeah being able to drive is my one true passion, but i must admit after adjusting where I live to acomidate where i work i hasn't been all bad, i feel for those who get caught up in this system as i did but they have to realize that the cards are stacked against them from the beginning and that most people in politics only care about their families and your vote. they could care less what kind of financial hardships you are going through. the only hope here is that this law b found illegal somehow. you people have to stay informed about your canidates.. this comining from someone who at one time voted for jenn g as the lesser of two evils. I would love to get a check for two thousnd dollars back from the state but i wont hold my breath.. In the meantime i will ride a bike in the summer and walk in the winter. I figure i have saved at least two g-s in insurance, gas, and car payments. this has been a life altering experience for me and i will never again get behind the wheel of a car after drinking. so i guess it has done some good.
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108) Don't Give Up [by Anonymous Citizen on August 7, 2007]
At .10 you weren't drunk. After following you for three miles? That's harrasment. After you passed all the dog and pony schit? You are the perfect example of the states web to get more good decent people under their control. It's All About THE MONEY! The money you saved on insurance went straight to queen jen. You sound like a beaten down subject. We need to inject some common sense back into the government.
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109) Virginia 140k petition [by Anonymous Citizen on July 27, 2007]
Because a petition just means that you want to attract attention to the fact you hate something, or make a statement. But it has no legal merit to change a law. All the people in VA are doing by signing and making light of their petition is marketing to the media.

VA passed an "abusive driver fee" law similar to MI on July 1. And boy are the citizens there pissed off. And the news media is eating it up, regardless of the fact; and I made this fact known to the Washington Post, who published an article on our situation. That Michigan is in the process of actually FIGHTING our law in the Supreme court now, while VA is just showboating and blowing hot air without actually doing anything yet. And to get their law removed, they'll have to go through the same process as we are already involved in. Because their governor is just as stupid as gov. goober of MI and won't repeal it due to wanting to line their pockets with the money of the poor.

But next week a judge in VA will hear the first case against a guy charged under this law and will decide if it's unconstitutional or not. And I highly suspect he will uphold their law and find the guy guilty and make him pay the "driver tax". Why? Because the attorneys there are only arguing 1 point, and it's a weak one that failed to pass muster in our appeals court as well.

"Equal Protection clause" didn't fly. So now atty. Guikema replied in his brief that our law is also an unconstitutional TAX. And I hope it wins on that basis because goddamnit, that's what it IS. An OPPRESSIVE TAX that punishes NO ONE but the POOR!
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110) petition 140,000+ [by Anonymous Citizen on July 26, 2007]
petition with NO legal merit has been signed by 140,000+ if this is true than y is this still a law.

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111) another law that has [by Anonymous Citizen on July 27, 2007]
no purpose. but it's still a law.


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112) 2007 Senate Bill 638 (Repeal driver responsibility fees ) [by Anonymous Citizen on July 26, 2007]
blow more smoke up my ash please this is bull nothing will happen with this but more drf
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113) Time to end [by Anonymous Citizen on July 25, 2007]
Thank you Mr. Gleason for stepping up and attempting to help the victims of this so called 'law'...which is an absolute joke.
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114) time to end this... [by Anonymous Citizen on July 25, 2007]
Is there anything being done to overturn this back door tax? If so please inform me so I can participate.
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115) Bad driver tax [by Anonymous Citizen on July 23, 2007]
Vote them out.

That's the word from the furious mouths of VA voters as well. As their lawyers are vigourously drafting their own briefs to file in the court, they're also holding legislators accountable this fall. They have a list of people who voted for it and are going to have a field day seeing them lose their seats over this type of law.

MI atty. Henry Guikema has his case now being reviewed in the supreme court, so it's only a matter of time before we get word of their decision. Attorneys in VA are working on ways to fight theirs in court too now since it seems unlikely that all their bad mouthing of legislators is getting them nowhere for a repeal. If they work together with our attorneys, maybe something can be worked out to put a bullet in the head of laws like this before they're ever spawned from the womb.

I've read more articles on VAs new law than I care to. Considering MI has had this bullshit law for 3 years and no one made a peep until recently. Seems the media is falling over themselves because a petition with NO legal merit has been signed by 140,000+ and counting. But the word should be getting out soon about MIs lawsuit and why it was filed.

At any rate, the best thing to do is NOT pay this fee if it is more than you can afford. Just take this suggestion; register your license plate under a relatives name who has a clean driving record. The cop running your plate, out of boredom, will never be the wiser.
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116) Taxation at gunpoint [by Anonymous Citizen on July 23, 2007]
I forgot about my birthday. I was pulled over for having my tabs 6 days out of date. I was arrested for not having my license 6 days out of date. Handcuffed. Stuck in a State police car, with said handcuffs painfully digging into my back and wrists for nearly an hour while I desperately tried to call friends for 'bail money' as I couldn't afford a night in jail; I was starting a new job the next day, after having no pay check for nearly a month. That money, a $160, then another hundred to Monroe. I had no idea that I had to pay this rapacious fee until I lost my license and wanted to get a replacement. That was when I found out my license was suspended. I had to pay this 'drivers responsibility fee' and the reinstatement fee. (about $165 plus the DRF of $150) Now, I get the SECOND payment notice in the mail for another $150, dated as being due yesterday. The best way to get people politically involved is to piss them off. Guess who is going after the politician who harbor this abomination in the fall? This is one pissed off voter...

LJ-mynameisnotreal
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117) careful....... [by Anonymous Citizen on July 23, 2007]
posting on here and you broke the LAW, wow thats dangerous some of these fools will be asking for the death penalty for you. As a law breaker you'll also be told you are no longer a citizen and don't deserve a second chance.
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118) Do It Now! [by Anonymous Citizen on July 23, 2007]
End this illegal money grab today.
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119) Driver tax lawsuit [by Anonymous Citizen on July 19, 2007]
And hopefully this is in response to the pending lawsuit in the supreme court by Henry Guikema.
Court of appeals no. 264103
Docket No. 133761

But I still think gov. goober won't budge because she's stupid canadian white trash. Her and her ilk should be put in prison for passing this law. They're well behaved people, for murderers. Same goes for the legislators in the trash dump state of NJ where this all started.

I can guess these people didn't like having to give bold faced lies on the evening news to Anne Schieber on how they passed this law to remove drunks from the road, and then say "oh, I'm sorry for my stupidity, I'll support a repeal." You SHIT HEADS were warned by judges and your own fellow lawmakers that this was a bad idea, and probably illegal, and the kinds of problems it would create. You didn't listen or care. Now it's off to prison for you for perjury(if this ever goes to trial) and false pretenses in creating a law that puts money into a fund for you to spend on personal bureaucratic gluttony.

VA voters have more balls and intelligence apparently than the inept, out of touch peons of MI. Same is said for the national media for not covering this story or doing investigative reporting. Screw you CNN, 20/20, Dateline NBC, Associated Press. Continue on your fucking war and paris hilton reporting because that's all you're competent to do, the easy news no one gives a fleas tight ass about. You're too stupid to understand legal matter reports. You can go suck on a mummified Pharaohs testicle.
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120) PEONS? [by Anonymous Citizen on October 18, 2007]
Liked your letter but did you have to attack people in Michigan? Do you know any of us? Peons we're not.
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121) Virginia Rebels Against Traffic-ticket Tax [by Anonymous Citizen on July 19, 2007]
Today (July 19, `07) the Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates will hold a press release to try to defend that state's "abusive driver penalties." This event will probably not go well for him. These so-called "remedial fees" are Virginia's version of Michigan's Driver Responsibility Act, and were enacted only a few weeks ago. Unlike Michigan drivers, Virginia citizens wasted no time in attempting to overturn the blatant money-grubbing scheme. The Virginia law is being challenged by powerful lawyers on grounds of undue harshness and lack of relation of the "remedial fee" to any real remedy. An on-line petition, in which signatories promise never to vote for a supporter of the law, has attracted 130,000 electronic signatures so far, equal to 3 per cent of Virginia's voters.

Each state that copies this bad idea seems to add a perverse detail of its own. In Michigan, it is a $1,000 fine for failure to have insurance. In Virginia, it is speeding fines that can reach $3,550 for only 20 mph over Virginia's frequently-underposted speed limits. But all states (NJ, TX, MI, VA) seem to love the $1,000 fines for operating while under license suspension, that generates the cycle of hopelessness that our judges see in court every day.

Michigan legislators need to see what's happening in our district courts, and in Virginia. They need to repeal this law immediately, and then clean up after themselves by granting amnesty for unpaid ticket taxes.

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122) It's About Time! [by Anonymous Citizen on July 19, 2007]
So much for the dems/socialists/libs "looking out for the workin man".
The doctors and lawyers can afford this idiotic law. The poor working sap just gets caught up in the states web of never ending fees, fines, taxes, etc. End this stupid law NOW. We have enough laws and fines. What we need is a gourp in lansing that will do what is right for a change and quit spending every waking moment trying to fleece the tax payers.
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123) A regressive tax from the Lansing looters. [by Anonymous Citizen on July 18, 2007]
Mirs, 12/13/06
Bad Driver Act Lamented As 'Regressive Tax'
It was all about generating revenues for state government, and, in the end, all it does is penalize those least able to pay.

That was the message today from four different judges who came to testify before a House Transportation Subcommittee on the negative impact of the state's three-year-old Driver Responsibility Act, known as the "bad driver fees."

For certain offenses, the state started assessing extra fines some three years ago — although many believe the fees moved through the Legislature as a way to generate more revenue for a sagging state budget than encourage responsible driving.

Van Buren County Judge William BUHL argued that the Bad Driver Act is "a damaging tax" and that it has had little impact on improving driving, but rather penalizes those who are least able to pay.

"This legislation isn't about highway safety," Buhl said in prepared testimony. "It's a sin tax, plain and simple. Look at the timing of this legislation. That pretty much tells the story. A fiscal analysis from June 2003 by the House Fiscal Agency estimated net revenues at $76,653,920. Included in that analysis was the estimate that the collection rate would be 60 percent. Collection costs were estimated at 12.3 percent."

Buhl told the story of one resident who was working a low-paying job and was assessed a bad driver fee. Ultimately, she wound up bouncing a check for her rent and was at risk of losing her home because the state was going so hard after the $1,000 or more in fees she racked up.

Karen DePRIEST, a single-mother from West Michigan, testified that she'd gotten a speeding ticket. At the time, her mother was helping her by handling bills. She thought her mother had paid the speeding ticket. Her mother thought she had.

Several months later she was pulled over for driving on a suspended license for fees unpaid.

"There is no leniency," a tearful DePriest testified. "They won't give me a payment plan. They won't reinstate my license."

DePriest said she's secured a good-paying job in Grand Rapids as a kitchen and bath design consultant, but can't work because she doesn't have the money to pay down the bad driver fees which at one point had reached $6,000.

In story after story, the panel heard of people who hadn't been repeated drunk-drivers, but had the misfortune of falling into the Driver Responsibility fee system. Complicating the matter is that many folks had moved, resulting in notices from the state going unanswered before licenses were summarily suspended.

DePriest and others testified that, in the end, they wound up having to travel to one local office for the traffic fee, back to the Secretary of State's office and then sometimes on to the Department of Treasury.

"That's not making us a very productive society when people have to take time off work to go to three places to pay off fees," noted Judge Michael GEROU, of the 35th District Court.

On two occasions, Rep. Tom CASPERSON (R-Escanaba) apologized to those testifying.

"I want to apologize to you," Casperson said. "The fee is bad enough, but for people to have to go through hoops . . . our government should be more responsive."

Judge Buhl argued that the state is making criminals out of non-criminals.

"This is a bill that gets short term revenues for long-term damages," said Buhl. "We're making poor people poorer."

Judge Brian OAKLEY, from the 34th District Court, indicated that the Michigan District Judges Association opposed the package because it's a tax, not a fee.

Oakley told the panel that those residents least able to pay the bad driver fee are the least able to avoid it. In other words, where he or a member of the panel may hire a lawyer to deal with a bad ticket or driving situation others who couldn't afford an attorney could get tangled up in the process.

"The people out there who are getting hammered are folks that get five over," said Oakley. "They can't pay the $100 so they don't want to come to court." Not appearing in court just begins a spiral that the Driver Responsibility Act fees perpetuate.

Rep. Tom PEARCE (R-Rockford), who chaired the House Transportation Subcommittee on Driver Responsibility, began today's hearing by noting that the state has collected $163.8 million in fees while it has assessed more than $387 million. - (That's 42.3 percent, not "60 percent.")

At the end of the hearing, Pearce told those assembled that because of the end of the 93rd Legislature this week and the beginning in January of the 94th, it would be a while before the issue is addressed, but it's one he does want to see addressed.

"With all the testimony we've heard, and all the issue we've heard from constituents all around the state, I do think this bill needs to be repealed," Pearce told MIRS following the hearing. "I'm waiting to make a final decision on what I might write as a bill until I hear from the Departments because they weren't able to testify today."
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124) The Sooner The Better [by Anonymous Citizen on July 18, 2007]
This illegal money grab should never see the light of day again.
End it now. Refund the ill gotten booty. Lets see if anyone in the government has the guts to do what's right.
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125) Get Going on Repealing the Traffic-ticket Tax [by Anonymous Citizen on July 18, 2007]
This bill is the first Democrat-sponsored bill to repeal the disastrous Michigan Driver Responsibility Act, and the first such Senate bill. Transportation Committee Chair Jud Gilbert should waste no time in reporting this bill. Both parties share blame for this unfair law, and both should join in repealing it immediately.

Unlike the Democratic House bills, this bill would repeal the convictions surtaxes and points tax completely, and I hope it means that the party of the Governor is at last willing to admit that these surtaxes are a worse problem than any budget situation the state finds itself in.

With this bill, the legislature is admitting that the Driver Responsibility Act is dangerous and unjust. Unfortunately, the repeal bills (SB 638 and HB 4006) do nothing to address the problem of unpaid taxes, which must now be approaching a third of a billion dollars. The number of citizens (and their families) legally immobilized by suspended licenses under this law may be approaching 100,000. Certainly it is over 50,000 - the state has not revealed the numbers. These people will remain unproductive outlaws indefinitely unless the unpaid taxes under this law are forgiven. The state really has no choice in this matter.

If the legislature feels that an amnesty is unfair to the people who have paid these taxes, a solution is available: just refund all these unjust taxes.

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126) Interesting [by Anonymous Citizen on August 8, 2008]
Do you actually think this will even make it in this year to be voted on? I am so tired of being stuck in my little town, where I can't find a job to pay my fines, because I cannot drive, because I cannot pay my fines, because I cannot find a job, because I cannot drive.


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