Oh, just pay the fine
Public hearings set on fines, jail time, speed limits and the capital budget
Re-fining the city’s penalties
The City of Saratoga Springs will consider a change to its city code to remove about 40 references to jail time. The change is a chance to clean up the city code and reflect what really happens in the city, said Tony Izzo, the assistant city attorney.
It may look a bit as though the city is going light on crime.
Izzo said that is not the case.
The 40, or so, mentions of jail time that Izzo said the changes target, are on small-time offenses that offer a fine or jail time.
The problem in the code as he sees it: No one ever gets jail time. The city’s code has almost 200 chapters and thousands of pages. He said it was standard practice to add the jail penalty with the fine “usually $250 and/or 15 days in jail,” he said.
“The reality of it is that in the nearly 40 years that I've been here, I can think of only one instance where jail time was even a factor in many of these very low grade ordinances,” Izzo said, adding, “Fines have been assessed, of course, but jail time has not really been employed on a large scale, not by any means.”
The fines will remain.
The city will hold a public hearing on this change.
Speed Limit Public Hearing
Speaking of tickets, speed limits will change to 25 mph throughout the city if Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Coll gets his way. See our earlier coverage here. He has set a public hearing on the matter for the Tuesday Aug. 5 City Council meeting.
Long term Capital Budget Planning is also on the list of public hearings.
Public hearings:
Aug. 5
6:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers
City Hall
474 Broadway, Saratoga Springs