collection confusion 2

100- thousand old notices totaling 52- million dollars in unpaid citations dating back as far as the 1990’s. tonight, we’re taking a closer look at the warrant fee many el pasoans are being asked to pay … even though they’ve already paid their tickets. abc-7’s darren hunt has the story: “about two weeks ago i got this letter from delgado acosta saying that i owed 65 dollars.” the city of el paso and the law firm now serving as its collection agency want john peacock to pay warrant fees on tickets he got in 2003. “at no point in the last 13 years have i received any kind of notification from the city about owing any fees.” peacock told me a judge cleared his tickets based on time served in jail in 2004. “i don’t understand, a judg residing in county court, dismissed it as time served .. .yet they want to come back and tack on 65 dollars 13 years after the fact.” “i got my driving recor cleared, so these 65 dollars, where are they coming from?” el pas sales rep thelma ramos is being asked to pay a 65 dollar warrant fee on a ticket for an expired sticker she says she paid back in 2005. “it’s just to me is unbelievabl that it would just reemerge out of anywhere.” “that’s a state-mandated fee an so the city cannot decide arbitrarily to not collect that fee.” the law firm sending th collection letters points to a state law, which states: ” .. an additional 50 dollar warrant fee is to be paid in a case where an arrest warrant is processed.” another 15 dollar is added as a collection fee, bringing it to 65 dollars. “why weren’t they paid when the paid the ticket, why didn’t that happen?” “because at the time, the statute that assesses this fee, requires that there be a conviction.” “if you pay your ticket befor it becomes a warrant that fee will not be charged … ” tickets not paid on time eventually have a warrant issued. but not until after a plea is made or the ticket is paid. “the cashiers always ask an explain that to the person paying, they have the option to pay it up front if they choose not to wait for it to be added 10 days later.” “is there any signage in here that indicates that or anything?” “no, we send it on the receipt, it’s printed on the online web system and we also send them a notice.” “i think it’s another classic example of the city looking for money wherever they can.” “i don’t understand how they’re working through this system, it’s a very flawed system i believe.” “can you understand the confusion?” “yes definitely and that’s wh we’ve been taking a lot of care and a lot of time and explaining to people the situation.” darren hunt, abc-7. worrell said the municipal courts are converting to a new system and looking at changing when the warrant fee is assessed. she said in the new system, once the warrant is activated, the warrant fee will be added … so anyone with citations and warrants can pay them all at one time.