Owe the city money? Here’s a deal

By Charles Sercombe

       Have an overdue traffic ticket, outstanding water bill, or way overdue on your business license?

          Rest easy, because Hamtramck has a deal for you during the month of May. It’s an amnesty program being called “Make it Right in May.”

          It doesn’t mean you get off free from paying the bill. Instead, most late fees and penalties will just be waived.

          The city and the Hamtramck 31^st District Court are teaming up to make it easier for people to make amends with any overdue violations.

          The 31^st District Court part of the program includes all parking tickets, civil infractions and misdemeanor files with outstanding judgments through Dec. 12, 2012.

The court will waive its $30 late fee, 20 percent penalty fee, bench warrant and show cause fees. Add it all up, and it amounts to a significant savings. 

This also includes misdemeanor files in arrest warrant status. Payments must be made in full and personal checks will not be accepted. 

          And just in case you think all of this is a trick to get you into City Hall and hustled off into the police station clinker, the city is offering a “Safe Surrendering” program in which you can go to Corinthian Baptist Church on May 11 or 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and take care of matters there.

          Corinthian is located at 1725 Caniff, just west of I-75.

          Otherwise, you can go directly to the 31^st District Court during regular business hours.

          Individuals that have been sentenced by the court and who currently have a warrant for their arrest will have the $30 late fee, 20 percent penalty fee, bench warrant and show cause fees waived. Individuals that have not been arraigned will be allowed to post a bond and will be given a court date.

          On the city side of things, you can clear things up by calling the appropriate city department at (313) 876-7700 and making payment on past due bills without penalty.

          Some of the late city bills include dog licenses, building permits/inspections, water bills and income tax filings.

          Don’t have the cash now? That’s OK, just whip out your credit card and deal with the monthly payments. If you blow off this amnesty program you can face the possibility of being arrested.

          So, be sure you can enjoy the summer and pay up now.