MASHPEE – Mashpee Town Clerk Deborah Dami has helped create a bill that would withhold license and registration renewals at the Registry of Motor Vehicles for people with outstanding civil fines.
Fines for infractions such as littering and noise violations would have to be paid before offenders could renew permits at the RMV.
“It gives a bylaw violation some teeth to say, ‘Listen, you made a mistake, here’s the fine.’ Eventually, the community would get reimbursed,” Dami said.
Dami has been working to make this a law for the past decade. She met with the House Counsel at the Massachusetts State House to help draft the bill, and it was recently filed by State Representative David Vieira.
Dami said Mashpee is missing around $40,000 due to unpaid fines, but she also explained that communities such as Needham and Marlborough are short nearly $200,000.
She wants state representatives and residents to inquire about this potential monetary stream.
“I challenge people to ask their towns,” she continued.
“Ask your communities: how much is the town out?”
Dami has not been given a timeline for the bill, but remains hopeful that it will become law. She added that municipalities would have the choice to opt out of the law if they would like.
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