Delay in ticket led to more fines

9/10/2012

For four years, I have taken Cherry Street to work without noticing the speed limit. I just drive in sync with my fellow commuters, or so it seemed ("Speed-only cameras positioned in South Toledo; 2 devices on the Trail are 1st of kind for city," Aug. 1).

Apparently, at least some of us are speeding, says the new speed-monitoring camera on Cherry Street at Delaware. I received tickets for speeding on July 17, 19, and 20. At $120 each, that's $360 in fines in one week, or 98 percent of my weekly take-home pay.

My problem, other than poverty, is that I did not receive the notice of the July 17 violation in the mail for 11 days. Had I been stopped by police or received a notice promptly, tickets two and three would not have happened.

Now I drive 35 mph on Cherry Street, eating the dust of the uninitiated, including several official vehicles.

I am appealing my second and third tickets. The Eighth Amendment bans excessive fines imposed by federal and state governments.

Does this apply to the City of Toledo? This fine is excessive. I hope for mercy.

Maureen Walsh

Mallett Street

 

Cameras a tax? No; shoulder blame

The writer of the Sept. 5 Readers' Forum letter "Cameras to hurt city's economy" says that fines from Toledo's traffic cameras are a tax without voter approval. A motorist who gets a ticket committed the crime of speeding or running a red light. How can this be misunderstood as a tax?

Drivers should accept responsibility for their actions.

Larry Klein

Perrysburg

 

Funeral homes wrongly portrayed

Judge Stacy Cook of Lucas County Common Pleas Court was mistaken in her comments at the sentencing of Lawrence Clement ("Man gets year in prison for sexual abuse of woman's corpse," Aug. 8). Because one person commits a despicable act, that is no reason to condemn an entire profession.

The judge said: "This was sickening and appalling and will make everyone in this community think twice about putting their family members in the care of a funeral home."

I am a funeral director in Toledo. Many of the other funeral directors I have known for more than 40 years are compassionate. They consider the care of a person's loved one a sacred trust and conduct themselves accordingly.

People have not stopped using the court system when a judge was found in violation of the law. Nor should people stop using funeral homes because of the disgusting act of one individual.

Martin O'Connell

Heatherwood Drive

 

Funding for needy going too far

People in need used to seek and receive support from family, friends, local charities, and the church. Then government stepped in to provide food, housing, and health care.

Now, there is $25 million in federal assistance for air conditioners and the money to pay the electric bill to run them ("Assistance available for costs of cooling," July 24).

What's next — massages and pedicures? It's time for the makers to tell the takers we have had enough. Let's demand a return to sensibility.

Dan Dimas

Waterville