Home >Police Enforcement > Seizure/Confiscation > New Mexico: City to Seize Vehicles Over DUI Accusations

Related News Illinois: Local Police Seize Cars by the Thousands New Mexico Supreme Court OKs Seizing Cars from Accused London Borough Ends Car Impounding Illinois Cracks Down on Predatory Towing Federal Appeals Court Limits Illinois Car Seizure View Main Topics: Camera Enforcement    Speed Cameras    Red Light Cameras    Revenue from Cameras    Camera Accuracy    Engineering/Signals Police Enforcement    Random Checkpoints    Speed Limits/Traps    Tickets and Cash    Seizure/Confiscation    Parking Tickets    Taxes and Tolls    Drunk Driving Laws Miscellaneous Issues    Miscellaneous    Hypocrisy    Bad Policy and Injustice    Propaganda    New Technologies    Privacy Issues The Revolt    Protests    Camera Destruction Subscribe via RSS or E-Mail Back To Front Page

1/10/2007 New Mexico: City to Seize Vehicles Over DUI Accusations Santa Fe, New Mexico seeks to make $300,000 a year by seizing cars from those accused three times of DUI. The Santa Fe, New Mexico city council will today adopt an ordinance that allows police to seize and sell vehicles belonging to motorists accused of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), regardless of whether they have ever been convicted in a court of law. The ordinance, sponsored by City Councilor Patti Bushee, kicks in on either a third DUI accusation or if the driver had been operating with a suspended license. "This is the hammer, the ultimate hammer," Bushee told The New Mexican newspaper. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico may file suit against the program because it takes property without due process beyond an "administrative hearing" where a city employee decides whether to confiscate the vehicle on behalf of the city. "It's enough to throw them in jail," City Attorney Frank Katz, told The New Mexican. "It's enough to take their car." The city council expects to raise $300,000 in annual revenue with the measure. Source: Council eyes tough DWI strategy (The New Mexican, 1/10/2007) Permanent Link for this item Return to Front Page

Front Page | Get Updates | Site Map | News Achive | Search | theNewspaper.com: A journal of the politics of driving