To the Point
How local police became tax collectors
When cities reduce taxes they face cuts in service — and one alternative source of revenue is increased focus on minor crimes with escalating penalties. We hear how that puts municipal finance on the backs of the poor and leads to resentment of the police.
By Warren Olney • • 52m ListenPhoto: Wayan Vota
In this episode
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After weeks of declining poll numbers, Donald Trump's top campaign staff has been telling him to moderate his chaotic, confrontational style. Today, he announced he's changing the staff. Will voters notice a difference? Paul Singer, who's reporting for USA Today , says the Trump campaign insists this is not a shake-up but an expansion.
Read the story7 minHow local cops are becoming tax collectors
So-called "zero tolerance" policing has been embraced as a way of reducing major crimes by focusing on minor ones. But there's another reason: fines and fees for low-level violations are now major sources of revenue for cities that have reduced taxation.
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