Your lead foot buys books: penal fines distributed to libraries

General Press Release

July 23, 2019

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Do you have a need for speed? Speeding tickets and other fines buys books for libraries


Did you receive a speeding ticket last year? If the answer is yes, your lead foot has a silver lining for your local library. A portion of the fines paid to the courts from criminal violations and civil infractions (such as traffic tickets) is distributed to local libraries. This year, Ottawa County fines netted the nine public libraries a total of $849,762.

The Michigan State Constitution of 1963, requires that all penalties collected for violations of the state penal laws be divide into court costs, statutory fees, and penal fees. The penal fines support public libraries and a county law library.

“Prior year payouts have ranged from $700,000 to over $950,000 depending on the number of citations written,” said Shannon Felgner, Ottawa County spokesperson.

Many library directors rely on penal fine revenue to provide physical and electronic resources, programming and services for library users.

The amount paid to each public library is determined by the percentage of the county population living in the area which each library has an agreement to serve. The Library of Michigan-Department of Education dictates the eligible libraries and its associated population.

 Library 

 Distribution 

 Allendale Township 

 $          91,105.97

 Coopersville Area District             

 $          38,210.19

 Georgetown Township 

 $        151,349.35

 Patmos (Jamestown) 

 $          22,658.12

 Herrick District 

 $        266,521.10

 Gary Byker Memorial 

 $          35,378.74

 Loutit District 

 $        114,482.41

 Spring Lake District 

 $          58,819.61

 Howard Miller 

 $          71,237.44

 

2019 Distribution