Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Auditor busts cities pocketing traffic fines

State Auditor Stacey Pickering issued the following statement. 


State Auditor Stacey Pickering Puts Cities on Notice to Prepare to Pay Court Assessment Fees 
to Mississippi Treasury
 
JACKSON, Miss. – Today, State Auditor Stacey Pickering notified local government officials in the Towns of Tchula and Raleigh, City of Shaw, and Coahoma County to prepare to pay delinquent court assessment fees to the Mississippi Treasurer’s Office or face receiving a formal demand from the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor (OSA).

Court assessment fees are commonly collected in association with traffic violations and misdemeanor offenses, and are required by state law to be deposited with the State Treasurer on a monthly basis.

The Town of Tchula has collected but not appropriately deposited $68,556.42 in assessments. The Town of Raleigh has collected but not appropriately deposited $47,076.72. The City of Shaw has collected but not appropriately deposited $14,935.35. Coahoma County has collected but not appropriately deposited $18,668.27.

OSA is aware of many other municipal and county governments failing to properly deposit assessment fees and has been reviewing this process for approximately one year. During these reviews, over $350,000 has been identified and deposited. OSA anticipates hundreds of thousands more dollars to be properly submitted before the completion of the audit review process.

Formal demands have not been issued yet. Each entity has thirty days to properly submit the assessment funds to the Treasurer’s Office. If those funds have not been submitted in that timeframe, a formal demand will be issued.
 

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am pretty sure Shaw and Tchula have each invested this money wisely and can readily access and pay this overdue bill. Both have very fiscally astute mayors.

Anonymous said...

LOL, I'll bet Tchula doesn't have $100 in the bank.

Anonymous said...

Pickering should hire Michael Guest's company to collect those amounts. He has lots of experience in that area.

Know how fast yew were goin' boy? said...

Shaw should have streets paved in gold with the money they make from their permanent speed trap.

So should Waterproof, LA.

Anonymous said...

Pickering is sad. His press conferences basically say, "Look I how powerless and impotent I am!" He's just running for the next office and wants to look like he's accomplished something. But if NO ONE goes to jail, he's part of the problem. Another day in the paradise that is Mississippi.

Anonymous said...

I have never heard of this before. I assumed if you paid fees in a municipal court, they went to the municipality. There likely are "many other municipal and county governments failing to properly deposit assessment fees"

Anonymous said...

4:51

How can the state recuperate its lost assets when it is PAYING to house embezzlers who are in jail and not receiving income to pay back the state?

Anonymous said...

The newest scam by some metro cities is to dismiss tickets if the defendant pays $50 resulting in the city receiving $50 and the city not paying any assessments to the state -- city gets money, violator is happy, and state gets cheated.

Anonymous said...

Many cities have done this for years. Why is he just now making collection efforts?

Anonymous said...

Campaigning for an election to another office. Pickering is a political animal just like the rest. Hard to believe he can sleep at night being an ordained minister and leader in the national guard. That's Mississippi for ya. He wanted to erase the shadow of his uncle Charles, but instead furthered his cloudy, murky character into the present.



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.