Ohio collection program assists Lucas County

Utilizing a collection tactic introduced by Ohio attorney general Mike DeWine, Lucas County, Ohio, has been able to recoup more than $500,000 in delinquent fines over the past three years, the Toledo Blade reports. The program involves using the attorney general's resources to find debtors and collect fines ranging from parking tickets to court fees. The initiative has been so successful that the Lucas County clerk of courts is going after more money owed. Specifically, clerk of courts Bernie Quilter is sending out fines for 9,828 cases dating as far back as 1996. If every cent is paid back to the state, the cases would generate more than $14 million. "People are going to get bills, and they're going to wonder what this is, but this is money owed us," said Quilter, as quoted by the news source. Once collected, the funds are distributed to various local agencies, such as the sheriff's office probation department and victims-of-crime fund. "Many local governments are feeling the strain that our economy has put on their budgets," said DeWine. "Our Local Government Collections Services Program will help counties, cities, townships and villages recover money they are owed and free up resources that otherwise would have been devoted to collections."