TOWN OF WALLKILL – One of Governor Cuomo’s proposals in his state budget would remove the power from local judges to plead down motor vehicle tickets and all monies collected would go to Albany.
As it stands now, a judge has the authority to lower the charge and part of the fine goes to the locality. And with I-84 and New York Route 17 both running through Wallkill, the town makes tens of thousands of dollars in fines yearly that are applied to the town budget.
Town Supervisor Daniel Depew is worried about the potential change.
“If you get a speeding ticket for doing 70 miles an hour in a 55, you are going to pay whatever that is and those charges would end up with the state,” Depew said.
Now, a judge can accept a plea for an equipment violation in satisfaction of a higher offense, and those funds go to the municipality.
