This is a video of 5 activists rolling into the Keene Police Department on Dec. 6, 2011 with cameras and tickets. They all want their day in court so that they can remind their accusers that there is no victim.
A parking ticket in Keene incurs a fine of $5. Here, contesting parking tickets is paid-for by the state. That means they have to pay a lot of people to ensure justice is happening. Here are a few of the costs associated with “justice” in New Hampshire:
When you contest a parking ticket, the state “pays for” (puts taxpayers on the hook for):
* Judge
* Prosecutor
* Secretaries
* Clerks
* Investigators to find relevant documents
* Making copies of documents
* Postage to mail documents to all relevant parties
* Travel expenses for witnesses
* Time-and-a-half for parking-enforcement witnesses
* Opportunity cost of those unticketed by off-duty parking enforment
* Rent of room + utilities
* Opportunity cost of state workers doing something which yields higher revenue
Add it all up. You think it’s worth $5? I do. As a film guy, I could never get all these people working together mailing things and making copies and building arguments and putting on suits and robes….for a total of $5.
The state feels differently. Apparently, enough people roll over and pay the $5 ticket because they don’t want the hassle of going to court.
Realize, however, that for the minor hassle it takes for you to go to court, it takes at least 10 times the hassle for the state.
Can you imagine what would happen if everyone started contesting their tickets? How could the state make enough money to pay for all this “justice”?
The state is in a tricky spot: On one hand, the fine is set low to encourage people to pay it. On the other hand, if the fine is raised in response to a flood of people demanding a day in court, they will be further incentivized to take tickets to court because the newly increased cost will be more worth it than before.
To be clear, I realize that “the state” is fictional and so it cannot actually pay for these costs. Agents of “the state” will put taxpayers on the hook for these costs. Taxpayers may get upset with activists for “costing” them money by taking these tickets to court. I’d like to remind these taxpayers that agents of the state are always in control of how they spend taxes–liberty activists are not. If you don’t like what the state is doing with your money, stop paying them. You are not alone.
I believe this is one of the most effective ways the average person can participate in the transition to a voluntary society. Occupy the courts, and send a message to those who wish to control you: No victim, no crime.
