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| Updated: 12/09/2011 10:50 pm |
Published: 12/09/2011 10:47 pm |
BENTON, AR - By early 2012, if you get caught speeding in Saline County, $20 could be added to your fine.
Corporal Brian Cooper with the Saline County Sheriff's department sees at least 100 people breaking the speed limit for each hour he's out on patrol.
That's exactly why the Saline County Quorum Court is considering increasing traffic fines by $20 to bring more revenue into the county. Those $20 would go directly to the Saline County Jail's operating budget.
Sheriff Bruce Pennington says the jail will take every penny he can get his hands on. He's already pushing the inmates to help save on operating costs.
"If they have money on the books, the first thing that we do every day is take 2.40 out of their fund to offset the cost of feeding them daily," he said.
Sheriff Pennington even shaved off $5,000 off the annual budget by switching from buns to bread on the inmates' menu.
"In 2010, I was able to turn back $517,496 back to the county general out of the jail," he said.
But with property values dropping in a county dependent on them, that may not be enough to keep the jail fully operational down the road.
Still, there Sheriff says there is a way to keep from having to pay -
"If I never get a citation, it will never cost me anything."
The decision is up for a vote at the county's next finance committee meeting. It will then move to the quorum court for final decision.
