To the Point
How local police became tax collectors
In many American cities, local police now act like tax collectors. On this special rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear how that can puts municipal finance on the backs of the poor.
By Warren Olney • • 52m ListenPhoto: Wayan Vota
In this episode
3 storiesCongress returns with a spending standoff
The summer recess is over. Congress returns tomorrow — and it has until the end of this month to complete a new spending plan. How likely is that with this year's election just a month later? Reid Wilson, national correspondent for The Hill, looks at what to expect.
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.
Read the story32 minThe Jewish con man who hustled Hitler
Hustling Hitler is subtitled "The Jewish Vaudevillian Who Fooled the Führer." That’s accurate as far as it goes. But when he died, the obituary in Variety described Freeman Bernstein as a con man -- with a heart of gold. He was much more than a vaudevillian.
Read the story11 min
