Break for those with unpaid traffic tickets

The mortgage is a few months past due, the credit card bills are piled high on the kitchen table, and the holiday salary bonus isn't what it used to be or no longer exists.

And oh, yeah, that unpaid traffic ticket hovers over you like a vulture ready to pounce at any moment.

State officials want to lessen some of that financial burden and bring in some new money to bolster flagging state revenue.

Residents with old, unpaid traffic tickets have a chance to pay their debt at a 50 percent discount as part of a statewide amnesty program. The discount also goes toward the accompanying fees incurred in Stanislaus County.

"This is a limited-time-only chance for individuals to resolve past debt at a reduced cost," said Michael Tozzi, chief executive officer of Stanislaus County Superior Court. "Plus, there's the opening to regain a driver's license. It's clearly a win-win for all parties."

The traffic ticket discount started Sunday and will be available for six months.

Court officials said the focus of the amnesty program is to resolve delinquent court debts by helping people who can't pay what they owe.

About 70,000 adult and juvenile traffic violations in Stanislaus County were expected to qualify.

County records show 46,738 violations for failure to appear in traffic court, resulting in $41,230,694 in fines owed. There also is $9,845,859 in unpaid fines for 13,503 failure-to-pay cases.

The amnesty program is meant only for certain traffic tickets. The discount is not available for parking tickets, driving under the influence fines or reckless driving cases. Also, those who have outstanding warrants or owe restitution to a victim in the county will not qualify.

The amnesty program is not meant for recent traffic tickets. Fines for failure to appear in traffic court or failure to pay a ticket must have occurred before Jan. 1, 2009, with no payments made toward the unpaid balance after that date.

Court officials say the one-time traffic ticket discount is similar to the state Tax Amnesty Program through the Franchise Tax Board.

Last year, the tax board collected $350 million in a three-month period from those who had underreported their income through tax shelters and offshore accounts. More than 1,000 taxpayers confessed to underpaid taxes in exchange for the state's offer to waive penalties and the possibility of prosecution, according to California Watch.

Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada can be reached at rahumada@modbee.com or (209) 578-2394.AT A GLANCE

• The statewide traffic ticket amnesty program will run from Jan. 1 to June 30.

• Information about the amnesty program can be found at the Stanislaus County Superior Court Web site, www.stanct.org.

• Payment for eligible traffic tickets will be accepted at the county Traffic Division office at 2260 Floyd Ave., Modesto. Payments also can be made online on the court's Web site or via mail addressed to Stanislaus County Superior Court Amnesty, P.O. Box 1730, Modesto 95353.

• The Juvenile Division also will accept payment for eligible juvenile casesat 2215 Blue Gum Ave., Modesto.

• Payment must be made in full, and only cash, cashier's checks, money orders, Visa or MasterCard will be accepted. No personal checks will be accepted.

• To watch a court-produced YouTube video about the amnesty program, go to this story on modbee.com.