Will the City Start Charging Wrongdoers with the Cost of Causing Tampa Auto Accidents

According to an article by John Thomas, published at abcactionnew.com, Tampa city council is reconsidering ways to charge those responsible for causing Tampa automobile accidents with the costs associated with the accident. Apparently they tried to do the same thing in 2007 but decided not to do so. Since then a state law was passed to address the issue. According to City Attorney Chip Fletcher, "...in 2009 the legislature significantly limited the ability of cities to access fees for responses to car accidents."

Given the current economy, it makes sense for Tampa to try and reduce its overhead by passing some of its costs on to those that cause car accidents. However, in this case, even if the city can find a way around the state law, it is unclear whether their efforts will generate much in the way of savings. Often, the cost of enforcing such programs can substantially reduce the net benefits. Hopefully Tampa council members will thoroughly research the costs and benefits before moving forward.