PROSPERITY — Prosperity Town Council have discussed the possibility of using The Public Safety Police Interceptor Program, a program that would allow the purchase of a new Police Interceptor without financial liabilities and more enhanced enforcement of traffic laws.

“They furnish you with a car and you pay them $25 a month per ticket written in that car, not all of the cars together, just that traffic car,” said Town Administrator Karen Livingston. “They value the vehicle at $36,000, that’s fully equipped. It doesn’t come with markings, it’s a traffic enforcer. You have to pay back in your $25 per ticket $36,000. If you don’t pay that back in Year One it’s a $2,700 fee to be in this program.”

The vehicle would also have to be used 120 hours a month for traffic enforcement duties for each vehicle that is received and can be ‘hot seated’ to meet its hours.

Livingston added if the vehicle and upfit cost $32,000, the program’s annual administration cost is $2,750 and program vehicle cost of money is at seven percent, when the program recovers its costs of $36,990 (for the first year) at the city’s discretion the city can purchase the Interceptor for one dollar on the anniversary date.

“The only other option is to lease the car like we did before,” she said. “It’s not just writing the ticket it’s paid tickets, we’re assessed on what’s actually paid.”

After further research and discussion Councilman Chad Hawkins said this program would not benefit the taxpayers of the Town of Prosperity and does not see Council pursuing this option.

By Kelly Duncan

kduncan@newberryobserver.com

Reach Kelly Duncan at 803-768-3123 ext. 1868 or on Twitter @TheNBOnews.