Laguna Vista aims to collect on $1M in outstanding fines

LAGUNA VISTA — A roundup of traffic court scofflaws will begin Feb. 24 after a grace period that began Feb. 1, city officials said.
Persons with unpaid traffic tickets may appear in court before Feb. 24 — without fear of being arrested — to make arrangements to pay their outstanding fines, City Manager Rolando Vela said in a statement.
The grace period and roundup is aimed at helping the town collect roughly $1 million in outstanding traffic fines that have accumulated over the years, Vela said.
Police Chief Robert McGinnis said most unpaid traffic fines were accumulated by persons who don’t live in Laguna Vista or the Laguna Madre area.
Most of the motorists with unpaid tickets are from San Benito, Rio Hondo, Harlingen or the McAllen area, he said.
“Our normal (traffic offender) is usually from McAllen down,” he said. “At different times of the year, we get out-of-towners coming down to the Island for vacation or to visit or things like that.”
A smaller portion of the unpaid tickets is from Laguna Madre residents, including Laguna Vista, Port Isabel, Laguna Heights and the Island, he added.
Vela said collecting the fines from tickets is not a trivial matter.
“This warrant roundup is all about accountability,” he said. “The town of Laguna Vista is doing this because it’s important we send out a message to the community.
“We apprieciate the responsible residents who pay their traffic tickets in a timely manner,” Vela said. “The community also expects us, as their public servants, to hold accountale those that do not.”
allene@valleystar.com