By Ryan Lewis
Correspondent
JASPER, Tenn. – Officials in Jasper are through with being nice to those who fail to pay their fines on time.
Mayor Billy Simpson said every other city he knows of charges a 1 to 3 percent late charge per month on unpaid fines.
“We don’t charge one cent, and I think we need to change that,” he said. “When we put a fine on the books at City Hall that comes through our court system, some people think they don’t have to pay it and forget about it.”
The Jasper Board of Mayor and Aldermen agreed this week to begin imposing a 10 percent interest fee immediately.
Until now, Jasper didn’t levy that fee, but not because it couldn’t. City Attorney Zack Kelly said the interest charge already has been established through the city court system, but it just hasn’t been enforced.
“In city court, a fine is a judgment,” he said. “The established rate for city court is 10 percent per year.”
Police Chief Tim Graham said he would add the interest announcement on the unpaid fine notification letters his department regularly sends out after a mandatory 20-day grace period.
After the initial letter of notification, the town usually waits 30 days before sending the problem to the state. Chief Graham said the state then sends its own letter.
“On average, it takes about three months before the state will suspend their license for nonpayment,” he said.
Eventually, officials said, nonpayment results in the suspension of a person’s driver’s license by the state.
Years sometimes go by before some people with unpaid fines seek to clear up the matter, Mr. Simpson said. When they go to the state to get their license back, most find a hefty interest charge has been added.
Alderman Chip Wampler said there’s no reason the town should allow unpaid fines to go unchecked for years without interest charges added on.
“I know the state of Tennessee doesn’t give anybody a break,” he said. “They charge interest on fines, too.”
Chief Graham thinks enforcing the interest charges might add an important incentive for offenders.
“If they see that on the letter, it might entice them to come on in and pay,” he said.
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.