Got an unpaid traffic citation sitting under a pile on your desk somewhere? Hold on to it until the new year, because the state of California is going to offer a one-time, 50% amnesty on all tickets in the first half of 2012, in an effort to raise some cash. The state is conservatively estimating that the ploy will net them about $46 million, or 2% of what's currently owed by naughty Californians in unpaid fines.
In other words, there's $900 million out there waiting to be collected, and the state and local governments think the tickets aren't being paid because people are struggling in the current economy. As the Chron further explains, traffic tickets are so expensive in CA in part because the state has imposed multiple surcharges and fees on them over the years -- to cover Superior Court expenses, etc -- the biggest being the $300 fine you get for not paying up on time or showing up in court.
Sadly, the amnesty program will not cover parking tickets, of which you probably have a stack hiding under your laundry somewhere so you don't have to think about them. Also, it won't cover tickets for reckless or drunk driving. We're very sorry.
