DRIVERS who have been slapped with hefty traffic fines may be able to earn credit that goes toward covering off their penalties.
And, they may be able to get more money off their tickets based on the items that they buy.
An initiative called Food for Fines is to come into force on September 5.
And, it will impact offenders in Bozeman, Montana.
Under the terms of the program, drivers will be able to get their fines lessened based on what they donate.
This could be items that a person has bought at the store before donating, or goods grabbed from a pantry.
Drivers will be able to get a maximum of $200 knocked off their fine.
If a driver donates a can of soup, then they will be able to get $10 in credit, according to the terms of the initiative.
But, offenders can only donate a maximum of 20 items.
Items that are donated will be sent to food banks in the area.
There is a strict criteria and some offenders will be banned from taking part in the program.
This applies to some who are paying just restitution costs.
Offenders who have an active warrant and a deferred prosecution agreement are also excluded.
Also those who are barred are those who are completing a community service sentence.
Drivers cannot get credit to go toward any outstanding parking tickets.
CUTTING COSTS
Local officials have welcomed the idea of the policy as some residents struggle to make ends meet.
“For one person, a $250 fine may be annoyance,” Karolina Tierney, a local judge, told the CBS affiliate KBZK-TV.
“For others, that is a significant cost for them.”
Food for Fines programs were rolled out at the University of Texas at Austin last fall.
The program ran from November 4 until November 27.
Drivers could donate items such as dry pasta, rice, lentils and soups to get money knocked off charges.
But, offenders could only donate items to get one charge dismissed.
Similar programs were also in place at Idaho State University and Wichita State University.
At Idaho State, drivers could get fines of up to $35 reduced.
In Wichita, students could pay off their parking tickets issued by university cops by donating food.
Drivers could donate up to 10 items per citation up to $30, according to the program.
