Texas Driver Responsibility Surcharge Program Petition!!!!!

[james]

Wayne in Michigan wrote:

First of all, I just want to say KEEP FIGHRING THE GOOD FIGHT! We are going through the same B.S. here in MI. The more research I do, the more I am convinced that this is a national problem.The expression "as thick as thieves" seems very appropriate. I want to let you folks know that you are not alone in this, as it may come to a supreme court matter to stop this. I will try to sign your petition, though I don't know if it will count. I urge you all to do the same at other web sites. Remember that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
P.S. To the commie: You dont have to leave the country, you can come to Michigan to live with all your comrades. Also you do realize that in this great communist nirvana you dream of not only would you be too poor to own a computer, but you would not have the right to speak out against your government. Be careful what you wish for.

the commies have infiltrated the system. they are ever'where. dam rule freaks on ever' corner. cain't smoke a cigarette...cain't smoke a joint...gotta wear seatbelts....gotta have a "explosive device" in yer steerin' wheel...gotta have insurance...gotta hide yer gun...cain't shoot a thief inna daytime...if we're ever gonna have any freedom or democracy in this country...first thing we gotta do...is take out all the politicians an' shoot'em down like dogs.

[TexasRealist]

james wrote:

<quoted text>"each time"? do ya git lotsa tickets?

I believe I covered that in my post.

[mandadee]

Greg I'm with you f*** Texas!!!! I moving to Canada!!! yeah!

[kayla]

Tamara, thank you for this extremely enlightening post. I have been so pissed about this for years and felt completely helpless. I suspected our money was going to something like this, but figured I was just a cynic.

My DL is suspended for not paying the surcharge on a charge that I got in Illinois. So I had to pay the IL fees and then I got the convenient payment letter from TX b/c I still had a TX DL at the time. How f'ed is that? I don't even live there but I need to move back. The whole thing makes me resent my home state.

Maybe I'm an idiot, but i don't see the petition to sign, can you send it again?

[kayla]

TexasRealist wrote:

I just can't have any sympathy for the fees. If you don't have insurance, you shouldn't be driving, period. There are many other methods of transportation that do not put me and mine at risk simply because someone else feels they have the right to drive without insurance.
People cry about being forced to pay fines for not having insurance...well that's better than if they hit my brand new car without insurance, taking away my PRIVILEGE to drive because THEY chose not to obey the law.

Driving is a privilege, huh? In Texas? Well I guess that you think getting to work is a privilege. And I guess paying taxes is a privilege -- oh wait, Texas doesn't have an income tax -- I guess that have to get that money some how.

[kayla]

TexasRealist wrote:

If they don't hit you in the wallet, how would YOU suggest they deter drunk drivers? Because the usual stuff ain't workin'.

"Realist", you say this as if this is the only fine for a DUI. Do you know how much is involved in a DUI charge? This is just double jeopardy.

[TexasRealist]

kayla wrote:

<quoted text>
Driving is a privilege, huh? In Texas? Well I guess that you think getting to work is a privilege. And I guess paying taxes is a privilege -- oh wait, Texas doesn't have an income tax -- I guess that have to get that money some how.

Driving is a privilege in EVERY state, otherwise the "right" to drive would be listed in the constitution.

There are buses, and you can always use your two friends pat and bend -- pat your feet and bend your knees.

Your need to get to work doesn't infringe on my right not to get caught holding the bag if you slam into me while texting or whatever. I don't need to foot the bill for higher insurance rates just because you don't want to pay yours.

[TexasRealist]

kayla wrote:

<quoted text>
"Realist", you say this as if this is the only fine for a DUI. Do you know how much is involved in a DUI charge? This is just double jeopardy.

Go back a few pages. I already said my lawyer indicated it does reek of double jeopardy. However, they've found a way to get around that. And you know...considering the tragedy that occurs when some moron who's been drinking plows into and kills a young newlywed couple out for their first "date" since having twins....I can't feel too much sympathy for any 'double jeopardy' because of that newlywed couple were my family, what the 'law' would do to the drunk driver would be MINOR compared to if I had my way.

I don't think a DUI should warrant extra fees. I think a DUI should warrant loss of your CAR and then loss of your license for at least a year, if not more. DUI-related deaths are a tragedy that are SOOOO easy to avoid. Just don't drive if you've had alcohol or don't drink if you know you don't have a ride home. It's NOT hard at all, yet people still drive drunk and kill people.

I have zero sympathy for any 'fee' they might incur when we all know full-well they probably just BARELY avoided killing a family of four.

[Martia]

james wrote:

<quoted text>the commies have infiltrated the system. they are ever'where. dam rule freaks on ever' corner. cain't smoke a cigarette...cain't smoke a joint...gotta wear seatbelts....gotta have a "explosive device" in yer steerin' wheel...gotta have insurance...gotta hide yer gun...cain't shoot a thief inna daytime...if we're ever gonna have any freedom or democracy in this country...first thing we gotta do...is take out all the politicians an' shoot'em down like dogs.

Of course you gotta fasten your seatbelt and pay for insurance.... who do you think will pay for your butt when you have a wreck.... the tooth fairy...????
Have you ever been in an accident with a drunk driver, or one on some kind of high from drugs ?
They are the kind of people that don't have insurance and drive anyway.... maybe no licens either.... OH wait.... I hear of one better... they may decide to tow the cars of those without insurance... Maybe that would help pay for the
accidents...

[Martia]

Texas Citizen wrote:

<quoted text>Some can afford to eat some cant. Some privileges should be protected but Surharges on driver license is not a good way to regualte it.

Maybe the surcharges on driver license is one way to pay for the ones that don't feel the need to get even a license.... People like to push their luck... in many ways. I know people that ride a bus to work, that is another option.

[Billy J]

Compliant Citizen wrote:

Driving is a PRIVLIDGE! If you commit a violation you have no right to complain about the penalties imposed.

True, but a fine levied over three years is extremely excessive. It rivals penalties for drunk driving. Living in the US is a privelege so please respect the constitution and those that fight to uphold it. It's NOT complaining!

[Billy J]

Tamara S wrote:

I have dedicated many months of my time to prepare a report of sorts on the DRP. What I have discovered is that the entire fate of Texas is connected to the Surcharge Program. This is because the money from the Unconstitutional program is earmarked for the Tran-Texas Corridor, which is a strategic segment of what is to become a Super Corridor that spans the entire North American Continent.
The state is suspending people's license over not paying an excessive surcharge fee that is in addition to what you agree to in court. What's more is the money is going to pay for the Corridor projects, without consent or knowledge of the People or Congress! I believe that spreading the word would enable individuals to better deal with the negative effects that the TX DRP has had on their lives, as well as have a say in their own future.
TX DRP Surcharge Petition
www.petitiononline.com/TXDRP07/petition.html
Have you heard of this yet??
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/images2/nasco.jp...

Tamara--

Thank you for posting this! I lived in Austin and received two tickets for failing to have insurance. I take no excuse but this can be a very big burden. I can't imagine people who are living check to check trying to get through this and stay out of jail. First, the insurance companies are the quickest to drop you from being insured for non-payment. Understandable from their POV, but to add a surcharge on top of the ticket fee is excessive, and to not notify or explain to the ticketed persons is unconstitutional. I further failed to keep up with my surcharge payment and was pulled over with a suspended license I did not know about and spent a night in jail over this. Each year I owe 250$ for each ticket (I have 2), and it lasts for 3 years! That is amazing for being ticketed for not having insurance!$1,500 in surcharges for missing a monthly Geico bill! COME ON! I am living in my 3rd state since these tickets and still paying them. I am glad you are fighting this; it is a HORRIBLE system.

[S Woodard]

Compliant Citizen wrote:

Driving is a PRIVLIDGE! If you commit a violation you have no right to complain about the penalties imposed.

We have a right to complain and wait until your paying it you and that queer yankee from N.Y.

[Anonymous]

The Texas Driver Responsibility Program was enacted in 2003 under House Bill 3588 by Rep. Krusee. This was also the same bill that had all the controversial creation of toll roads and other methods to find additional funding for the state government. Some of the money for this program goes to the trauma care fund (which I agree is a good cause), however, the rest of the money goes into what the government calls General Revenue. GR is essentially a black hole of funds that the government uses for certain projects.

First, DPS gives a number for the Customer Service Bureau, which is consistently busy and extremely hard to get through. This is because while the state required DPS to implement this revenue seeking program, they failed to fund DPS with the resources to actually provide customer service to the citizens of Texas. As stated in the previous post, this program is a "surcharge." The driver has already paid for and accomplished all necessary requirements for the traffic violation. The amount of the surcharge ranges from $100 to $1500 PER YEAR for THREE YEARS. So, someone who is given a surcharge of $1500/year is handing the goverment $4500 for the 3 years as well as having paid the fine and court costs associated with that one traffic violation.

In my case, I drove with an expired license (only a month expired), and pled no contest and paid my fines. Then recently, I received a letter from DPS stating that I now owe the state $260/year for 3 years. That is a total of $780 plus the fine that I paid for a license that was expired for only a month. And as mentioned before, there is absolutely no appeals process because it is deemed a "surcharge."

All Texans who are upset with the Trans Texas Corridor, the toll roads, and other methods that Krusee and other members of the legislature have conceived to generate revenue should be outraged that they have now increased traffic fines to a level so high that it's worth now hiring a $250/hour attorney to get you out of that ticket.

There has to be some checks and balances, and only the citizenry can achieve this. So, I hope everyone thinks about damaging programs such as this and remember who they're voting for in the upcoming election.

[Blake]

SB 1773 passed the Texas senate on April 25, 2007 implementing amnesty and incentive programs that could reduce surcharges for those who defaulted on an installment agreement. The Amnesty program allows DPS to reduce surcharges related to 'Failure to Maintain Liability Insurance' if the customer maintains liability ins or 'Driving without a Valid License' if the customer obtains a valid driver license. There is also an indigency program. This law went into effect 9/1/07 but TDPS did not issue information until 5/9/08 and states programming issues have prevented the changes from going into effect until now. The amnesty and Incentive programs will be implemented in late 2008.

Nice to know it takes over a year after the law is in effect to be implemented!!!!!

[james]

Blake wrote:

SB 1773 passed the Texas senate on April 25, 2007 implementing amnesty and incentive programs that could reduce surcharges for those who defaulted on an installment agreement. The Amnesty program allows DPS to reduce surcharges related to 'Failure to Maintain Liability Insurance' if the customer maintains liability ins or 'Driving without a Valid License' if the customer obtains a valid driver license. There is also an indigency program. This law went into effect 9/1/07 but TDPS did not issue information until 5/9/08 and states programming issues have prevented the changes from going into effect until now. The amnesty and Incentive programs will be implemented in late 2008.
Nice to know it takes over a year after the law is in effect to be implemented!!!!!

slower state employees move the more $$ they git to steal from workin' folks.

[hater-hater]

The dbag that came up with the tx surcharge seems to found himself in a lil jam!
http://www.austincounsel.com/2008/05/14/legis...

[james]

hater-hater wrote:

The dbag that came up with the tx surcharge seems to found himself in a lil jam!
http://www.austincounsel.com/2008/05/14/legis...

my faith s shatterd. i jist cain't b'lieve a lowlife politician could be a hypocrite.

[cee]

This is the worst thing the state can do to it's people. I had violations (no accidents or dwi's) in the past that were handled at the time frame of the violations, clean record. Some years later, i recieve a letter from the State of Texas stating i recieved some tickets for getting tickets in the past, that were taking care. Never had a DPS ticket in my life.

[james]

TexasRealist wrote:

<quoted text>
Driving is a privilege in EVERY state, otherwise the "right" to drive would be listed in the constitution.
There are buses, and you can always use your two friends pat and bend -- pat your feet and bend your knees.
Your need to get to work doesn't infringe on my right not to get caught holding the bag if you slam into me while texting or whatever. I don't need to foot the bill for higher insurance rates just because you don't want to pay yours.

yer jist another commie control freak who needs to feel better 'bout yerself by talkin' down to other folks. all yer posts are full of bein' better an' smarter than ever'body else...always on the side of big brother....always agreein' that big brother gots the right to steal whatever big brother wants fer whatever reason. after readin' a few of yer posts the realization sets in...mr. always got the $$ fer "my lawyer who always takes care o' my speedin' tickets"(prob';y ain't got a car or a dl)..."my apartment parkin' place(covered)..."my INSURED car"..."i'm goin' to go git my chl next week"(don't have that yet? prob'ly ain't even got a gun)...well i s'pose livin' in an apartment where ya hafta call yer manager over yer parkin' spot is a step above livin' inna trailer park(where they at least git to park in front of their trailer). didja git yer chl yet? nope...all mouth. you got the mentality of a low-level office dip who imagines hisself to be manager material. you prob'ly ain't even got a job, judgin' from all the time ya spend on the computer cheerleadin' fer more rules to keep everbody else down. some people try to build theirself up by puttin' ever'body else down. most people like that lead pathetic little borin' lives. the btk killer was like that. jist a worthless li'l control freak who felt powerful with a tied up frightened victim...is this yer only way to feel a sense of accomplishment? doncha have any other skills? yer pathetic.