ST MATTHEWS, S.C. — St. Matthews Town Council will soon vote on whether to raise the fines for speeding in the town.
Drivers caught going 1 mph to 9 mph over the limit can expect a $125 fine and $225 for going from 10 mph to 15 mph over. Driving 16 mph to 20 mph over the limit could lead to a $325 fine; more than 20 mph would mean paying $450.
"That's excessive. I feel that it shouldn't be that high," said St. Matthews resident Eric Thomas.
He took issue with the proposed change.
"Sometimes people do have emergencies, they're trying to get somewhere, and sometimes people don't be paying attention to the speed limit," Thomas said. "And it's hard to catch them because they right behind each other, cause you got 25, then it'll jump to 30, then it'll jump to 45, so you know, it's kinda hard."
Edward Rose has lived in St. Matthews for 15 years.
"I think that the state minimums should be what every town, every county, state police, should be held to," Rose said. "It should be state-wide; these are your fines. Not these outrageous fines that the police chief, the mayor, town council are coming up with."
Rose said he feels so passionately that he almost canceled a planned vacation to attend the town council meeting. He said the town of St. Matthews is trying to make money from speeding tickets at the cost of residents.
"That's who most of the people are who are coming through this town," Rose said. "There are some that are going from Columbia or Orangeburg, but most of the people that they stop are residents of St. Matthews."
Others in town, like Thomas Young Jr., said speeding is an issue
Young said higher penalties for speeding through St. Matthews could lead to a safer town.
"You see them taking off right there?" Thomas asked as tires screeched behind him. "Yeah. Slow down? 'Slow down' ain't the word."
Representatives from the town government and the St. Matthews Police Department could not speak with News19 on Friday.
Fine increases won't go into effect unless the town council votes to approve them. The next scheduled meeting is on Aug. 1 at 5 p.m. and is being held at the St. Matthews Municipal Court located at 1313 Bridge Street i nSt. Matthews.