City could see windfall thanks to traffic tickets

Colorado Springs city government could have a windfall this year, thanks to more traffic enforcement and less discretion in dismissing parking tickets.

In the first quarter, revenues collected by the Municipal Court jumped by $324,000 compared with the first three months of 2007.

A court official predicted the rising caseload - including a 72 percent rise in parking tickets - would continue through the year.

"There's nothing that would cause me to think it wouldn't continue," said Municipal Court Administrator Rick Lewis.

If it does, the city would receive roughly $1.5 million more than it budgeted this year from fines - money the city is likely to need during an economic downturn that's eroded sales tax collections, the city's primary money source.

Councilwoman Margaret Radford said it's impossible to speculate where any extra money would be applied, but her greatest priority is public safety.

"It's premature in April to make a projection like that," she said. "A park building could burn down. The (Prospect) lake could go empty. A bridge might fall down."

Or, the city might spend the money to keep its police helicopters in the air another year. Air One cost the city $360,000 this year.

In an April 4 report to the City Council, Lewis said court filings increased by 36 percent in the first three months of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007.

Traffic cases went up 16.5 percent; parking tickets jumped 72.1 percent.

Colorado Springs police Lt. Skip Arms said part of the increase - 15,214 traffic cases so far this year, up from 13,063 during the same time last year - could be attributed to the motorcycle traffic unit being back on the streets after being assigned last winter to guard the Castle West Apartments, which were destroyed by arson in January 2007.

Parking tickets have soared to 14,931 this year from 8,678 last year for two reasons:

• The City Council changed city ordinances in December to prevent court referees from dismissing tickets after Councilman Jerry Heimlicher discovered that referees voided 8,010 of the 50,726 parking tickets issued in 2006.

• The Police Department filled three parking enforcement positions in March 2007 after they had been vacant for several months.

In the year's first three months, the court has brought in $2.2 million in fines and court costs, compared with $1.88 million for the same period last year.

That's a difference of about $324,000, and the next two quarters could bring in more money, Lewis said, because court activity tends to pick up during the spring and summer tourist season.

The city budget has $7.4 million in revenue from fines this year.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0238 or pam.zubeck@gazette.com