ORANGE PARK – A mother and son were some of the first in line last Saturday to pay off old traffic fines as part of Operation Green Light. With receipts in hand, they then walked a couple doors …
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ORANGE PARK – A mother and son were some of the first in line last Saturday to pay off old traffic fines as part of Operation Green Light. With receipts in hand, they then walked a couple doors down to the county’s tax collector’s office and got the son’s license reinstated.
For the first time in 10 years, he was legally able to drive again.
“They both cried,” said assistant tax collector Holly Coyle.
Thirty-five residents took advantage of the one-day-only program that removed many of the late and collections fees on old fines. Operation Green Light, which was pioneered by Clay County Clerk of the Circuit Court Tara Green in 2015, also provided residents with interest-free payment plan options.
The driver’s license was opened only for those who finally were eligible to have their licenses reinstated.
Not only did 14 resolve their debt and leave with a new license, the county collected more than $11,000 in unpaid fines.
For Orange Park’s Alicia Johnson, the promotion was a chance to finally get back on the road.
“I got a red-light ticket and I forgot about it,” she said. “With the (late) fees and collections, I couldn’t afford it. It was too expensive. I saved over $100. It was a huge help for me. It’s the only way I could have taken care of it.”
Green said 60 of the state’s 67 counties now participate in Operation Green Light. It’s been such a success, she plans to talk with legislatures about enhancing the program.
“We will analyze the 2019 Operation Green Light results and suggestions once that data comes in from other Florida counties, and then discuss how best to continue this effort,” she said.
Tosha Blalack of Jacksonville took advantage of the offer to pay off tickets in Clay and Duval counties. It proved to be a busy day because “I have a lot of tickets,” she said.
All of Blalack’s tickets went into collections, she said. Her savings was “several hundred dollars,” and she had her license reinstated for the first time in more than a year by mid-afternoon.
“Being able to drive legally is a huge deal, and that’s why dozens of people took advantage of this opportunity locally,” Green said. “For some, it means being able to get a better job, or being able to drive their children to school, or to simply get the weight of their shoulders.
“We are doing our part. The issue is that good folks want to make good on their court and traffic debt, but it piles up over time and becomes too big a hole for them to dig out of.”
The highlight was the son and mother leaving the license office with the debt settled and a valid license in his wallet. The mother handed the keys to the son and asked if he wanted to drive home. That’s when both tearfully embraced with staff from the clerk’s and tax collector’s office watching.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Green said. “We are here to help people, and Operation Green Light is just one way we can do that each year.”