College Town Considering Collection Agencies to Help with $1.8 million in Fines

Oxford, MS, is considering hiring private debt collectors to track down about $1.8 million in past due fines owed to the city. Oxford is another in a string of cities and townships turning to debt collectors to recoup financial losses incurred by the missing revenue.

“We’ve got to do something. We are not alone in this problem, but we lead the pack,” Alderman Pat Patterson said comparing Oxford to other cities in the state. “I’m pursuing this because we should give something new a try,” Patterson said. “What we are doing now isn’t working.”

Only about 30 percent to 40 percent of the people receiving tickets pay them by the court date, Court Clerk Donna Fisher said. The fines include parking and traffic violations, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest or possession of alcohol by a minor.

You can read the full story at City seeks $1.8M in late fines.