Robber Barons

You might recall an article posted on this blog last year titled "Proof that Traffic Enforcement is Really Tax Collection:

http://andjusticeforall-calgary.blogspot.com/2009/08/proof-that-traffic-safety-enforcement.html

Though our local constabulary will justify detaining drivers on the basis of traffic safety, today's article in the Calgary Herald "Calgary Police Budget Takes 4M dollar hit as fines drop and Overtime Increases" is further proof that Joe Citizen's opinion about the purpose of traffic enforcement is true: the Boy's in Blue are not really concerned about safety -- they are worried about the bottom line.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Calgary+police+budget+takes+fines+drop+while+increases/3096301/story.html

Hiring police and extra police is costly.

Paying pensions and overtime is costly.

Driving Dodge Chargers, Ford F150 pickup trucks, Harley Davidson Road King Motorcycles, SUVs and host of other vehicles (including Airplanes and Helicopters) to supplement the fleet of Crown Victorias is most certainly expensive.

With this in mind, do some of these vehicle purchases smack of a complete lack of utility?

Seriously, motorcycles in Calgary? Really?

It seems difficult to justify a two wheeled vehicle purchase considering the weather in this City seldom permits their operation.

From a dollars and cents perspective, if a new Road King sells for over $20,000, it is not difficult to imagine a tricked out model, equipped with sirens, special compartments, navigation gear, along with other devices costs more. In my opinion, that's a very frivolous use of tax dollars for single occupant motor carriages capable of operating only about 5 months per year.

It's no wonder when the Sheriff of Nottingham comes knocking, many Canadians -- including this writer -- wish for a modern day Robin Hood.

Of course, the cost of employing and equipping our local constabulary is but a fraction of the cost Canadians pay to fund the veritable gaggle of other Government services. As a taxpayer in private industry I am often outraged about paying half my income in various taxes, only to see my dollars hard at work with three government workers watching another government worker leisurely do his job.

Worse, I practice in an industry where Government workers constantly tell me how much more money I make compared to them. Lets set the record straight, I probably bill more money than the highest paid Crown Prosecutor, but trust me when I tell you, the Crown's employer ensures I do not get to keep those earnings. Private industry pays Corporate Tax, personal tax, municipal tax, rent, staff, professionals to assist us in paying our taxes, along with a frightening number of other business expenses. Everyday expenses such as parking or filling the photocopier with paper must be closely monitored. Calgary Prosecutors get funded to park in heated underground ground garages to the tune of approximately $427.00/month. So where my monthly parking is $457.00, the Prosecutor lamenting his or her miserable salaried existence pays just $30.00. So my cost is fifteen times that of the Crown for the pleasure of attending the nightmare otherwise known as the Calgary Court Centre. Did I mention people standing around?

Of course, every full time Government employee has a pension, health benefits, flex days, paid holidays and a myriad of other unappreciated advantages. Private industry certainly gets write-offs, but it's important to remember, given the average corporate tax is 14%, every justiable write-off only really saves fourteen cents on the dollar. And just so people aren't confused, even if the savvy businessperson keeps money in the corporation, upon retirement the government will simply take 36% of whatever is drawn personally. Bottom line, Government always gets paid.

And it must always get paid, for wasting money doesn't come cheap. Paying pensions for Members of Parliament who abused their expense accounts requires plenty of quan.

And when Government doesn't get enough from robbing Canadians at tax time, it simply steals more by justifying penalties through various criminal, quasi-criminal and regulatory infractions.

So when I read an article that police are 1.4 million dollars below their budgeted annual ticket revenue of 33.9 million dollars, I simply can't help but wonder whether the consistent lobby for more cops is so they can pillage more dollars from the general public. I fear that as the Calgary Police Department scrambles to generate the revenue shortfall, our streets will be laden with no tolerance armed tax collectors, stopping hoards of motorists for questionable infractions.

After all, where is the money going to come from? Though I imagine City Hall will simply approve further tax increases, I am quite certain they would rather use the extra money to top up their expense accounts, build decorative bridges and continue work on the neverending construction debacle otherwise known as Glenmore Trail.

Again, I pose the question: is traffic enforcement really about safety? More importantly, one might wonder whether our Government is in the business of criminalizing (or quasi-criminalizing )conduct so they can meet the bottom line.


David G. Chow
Calgary Criminal Lawyer
Molle Roulston Chow

wwww.calgarydefence.com