According to a projection made in early May from The Connecticut Post, the state is currently swimming in a $284.6 million deficit. At this point, it seems any kind of revenue Gov. Dannel P. Malloy can get his hands on is good news—even if it's at his own expense.
Cathy Malloy, wife of Gov. Malloy, was charged recently with a $92 fine for neglecting to wear her seat-belt while driving, according to The Post. The incident happened on May 24 as state police began instituting the annual "Click It or Ticket" campaign. Gov. Malloy has always had a large presence in the safety effort.
Andrew Doba, a press representative for Malloy, reportedly confirmed the "infraction" and commented that the first lady would not contest the fine she was charged, The Post said.
According to the Connecticut State Police's website, the incident did not happen within the marked time period of "2012 Memorial Day Weekend Enforcement" which began May 25 and extended to May 28.
Over the weekend, 816 Connecticut motorists were pulled over for not having a seat-belt on, which translates to roughly $75,072 in fines charged ($75,164 if you include Mrs. Malloy's contribution). The number is down from last year's 978 figure, according to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.
1,797 motorists were pulled over in Connecticut over the weekend for speeding. That number is also down from last year's 2,013.
In the wake of Mrs. Malloy's incident, residents have spoken out about the gained benefits of the "Click It or Ticket" campaign. Some even believe that Malloy's involvement was simply a publicity stunt.
"She just happens to get a ticket in the middle of the 'Click It or Ticket' campaign...tell me it wasn't staged to get more attention," Albert Williams commented on a poll taken by after the incident was reported. The question asked: Do you wear a seat-belt? 123 said yes, 207 said no and 6 couldn't make up their minds.
The bright side? Thinking solely about seat-belt violations in that four day time-span, including Mrs. Malloy's fairly significant misstep, Connecticut's deficit has since dipped closer to $284.5 million. We're getting there, Governor!
