Posted on June 23, 2008 by Fiona Hilliard

From July 1st, officials in Holly Springs in the US state of Georgia are to add a surcharge of $12 (€7.70) for each traffic offence as a way of averting a budget deficit, brought on by rising fuel prices. 

Commenting on the hefty new charge, Holly Cothran Drake, spokeswoman of the city administration said: “It’s a creative and innovative idea of our police chief.”

“The reason is to offset the cost of the trend of rising fuel prices.”

The extra $12 fee is expected to fill the town’s coffers to the tune $20,000.  Meanwhile, car hire customers, renting from the nearby city of Atlanta may be in for an extra 10 to 15 dollars if they’re found in violation of local road traffic acts. 

“The hike in gas prices seriously hurts our ability for petrol,” explains Clarence Martin, the Atlanta city council member who first proposed the increase. 

Rising gas prices in the US now stand at an average of $4.07/€2.62 per gallon, which translates as a 25-percent increase in just five months.