Louisiana Towns Rank High On Traffic Fines To Make Budget List
It may not be true, okay it's probably true, but if you've ever been pulled over for "speeding" in certain communities in Louisiana then you probably feel as if you've been set up. These are Louisiana's notorious speed trap towns. Regardless of whether you were traveling above the posted speed or not, you just know that "you weren't going fast enough" to deserve a ticket.
A new report by Governing just might confirm your suspicions as that periodical has just issued a report listing Louisiana as one of the states where small towns rely tremendously on traffic fines to support their municipal budgets.
The report found that one Louisiana community earned over $500,000 or 92% of the town's budget by collecting traffic fines. That community, Georgetown, is located on U.S. 165 between Alexandria and Monroe.
Closer to home, another community on U.S. Highway 165 made the list. That's the town of Fenton. You've probably passed through it on your way up Highway 165 to Kinder from I-10. The Governing report said in 2017 the town of Fenton earned $1.2 million in revenue based on traffic fines. That figure accounted for 91% of the town's budget.
Rounding out the top five in Louisiana according to the report behind Georgetown and Fenton were Baskin in Franklin Parish, Henderson, especially at the foot of the I-10 bridge, and Robeline in Natchitoches Parish.