‘Operation Green Light’ saves hundreds of dollars

LEE COUNTY, Fla. –  Tickets can add up quickly. If you don’t pay it, a fine can get tacked on, then another and another.

Before you know it a $50 ticket can cost you hundreds of dollars. Saturday, for one day only, tickets and other court costs were 25 percent off.

“Driving while license was suspended,” said Jacquelyn Moultrie. “Just old court fees. Old court costs,” said Raynell Whitehead.

The two of them didn’t waist any time showing up to ‘Operation Green Light’ Saturday morning.

Dozens of residents saved big money by paying off tickets and court costs on a day where the collection agency contracted with Lee County waived their collection fee.

“I’ll be saving $500-600 dollars,” said Whitehead.

Moultrie adds, “I ended up saving a little over $400.”

Lee County Judge Josephine Gagliardi has seen firsthand how one speeding ticket can quickly sky rocket to thousands of dollars. “They get collection fees, and then they get a late fee, and it snow balls, and that leads to a suspension, and then they cant drive”.

“We had a gentleman who paid $5,500,” said Linda Doggett with the Lee County Clerk of Courts.

Doggett directs people to the clerks office to find a solution, so the cost of their ticket can’t speed away from them. “Sometimes there are options like community service, there of course are payment plans.”

As for Moultrie and Whitehead, they’re just happy to leave these costs behind them.

“I was fortunate today to come down here and able to settle everything so that I can get my driver’s license,” said Moultrie.

“It’s a blessing in disguise,” said Whitehead.