McMinn County & Athens
Issues & Answers

Englewood & Calhoun Are Tops in Fines

The police are charged with maintaining public safety.  No one doubts reckless drivers should be be punished for endagering their fellow citizens.  Unfortunately, we have towns in McMinn County which appear to be more concerned about revenue than public safety.  Most citizens of McMinn County have at one time or another heard someone complain about speedtraps in the area.

The magazine Governing researched the amount of income generated by fines in communities all across the U.S.  Two McMinn County cities, Englewood and Calhoun, were on the the list of more than 600 communities in which at least 10% of the general reveune came from fines.  Also on the list was Benton, located nearby in Polk County. Here you can see the interactive map of speed trap communties and read the report.