Skateboarding ticket gets $151 of “air”

Skateboarders may talk about catching a lot of “air” when doing their tricks. Or is that just with snowboarders?

Regardless, there is a lot of hot air in Woodstock being generated by the $151 fine that one kid racked up for riding his skateboard on or near the Square.

Actually, his fine was only $15, but our favorite McHenry County Circuit Court, right up the street at

2200 N. Seminary Ave

.

, tossed in $136 of “costs” (to keep the lights on and all the money grubbers happy) before they let him out the door.

As a judge explained to other unlucky recipients of tickets in his court on Thursday morning, he does not set the court costs; nor do the other judges. He only sets the fines. He wasn’t bashful about pointing fingers at those who do set the amount of court costs.

So, next time you are angry at the exorbitant court costs, drop by the office of your State legislators (your State Representative and your State Senator) and the office of your McHenry County Board District representatives and give them a piece of your mind.

As a matter of fact, for a $136 hit on top of a $15 fine, give them two or three pieces of your mind.

What percent of $15 is $136? It’s easy to see that it’s more than 100%. After all, 100% of $15 is $15. Easy as pie; right? How about 200%? That’s $30. 300%? That’s $45. 400%? - $60.

OK, how about 900%? That’s $135. NINE HUNDRED PERCENT FOR COURT COSTS!

But – and here is the big BUT – why didn’t the Woodstock cop cite the kid into Woodstock’s own

Administrative Adjudication Court

? Judge Eterno might have slammed the kid with a $25 fine and tacked on $25 of court costs. That would get the job done.

He might even have thrown out the ticket, as I believe he did with two others earlier this month.

Should the parent refuse to pay the $151? Should the parent say, “Hey! I wasn’t the one on the skateboard! Wring it out of him” and point to her kid?

There could be valid reasons for citing a kid into Circuit Court for skateboarding. Let’s say he’s a troublemaker or a gang member. Let’s say he had a big mouth and let the cop know exactly what he thought of getting a skateboarding ticket, and in not-so-polite terms.

And maybe that’s what happened in this case. I don’t know the circumstances. Only I suspect that was not the case.

How does a Woodstock cop decide whether to send the offender to Circuit Court or the

Administrative Adjudication Court

? Is it in his sole discretion? Or is he under Department orders to handle minor cases in certain ways – or if they involve certain people?

Maybe our local cops ought to re-think their “re-educational” efforts in Woodstock. If they want people to be good citizens and comply with laws and to respect the police and think of the police as good people and as wanting to make Woodstock a safer and friendlier place to live and work, then the cops (and Police Administration at 656 Lake Avenue) ought to really think about the impact of a $151 hit for a skateboarding ticket!

That’s a sure way to turn people against the cops!