[Jim Bremner]

yes, fines are punishment.

Do the fines equal the crime?

If the fine is greater than the crimes impact is this just? I'll agree for the fine for running red lights. but is 80mph in a 65 zone worth $400? no

I feel that fining someone a weeks wages is unjust.

I do however feel that if a member of our police forces or a judge get's poped for the crime it should be 2x what you or I should pay.


Large County Average Weekly Wages

Average weekly wages in 11 of California’s 27 largest counties placed in the top third of the national ranking among the 334 largest counties nationwide in the fourth quarter of 2009. Three counties ranked in the top ten—Santa Clara ($1,699 ranked 2nd), San Francisco ($1,539,7th), and San Mateo ($1,477, 9th). Five other large counties placed in the top half of the national ranking. (See table 1.)

At the other end of the wage spectrum, Tulare County ($666) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the State, followed by Butte ($720) and Riverside ($757).

Nationally, average weekly wages were higher than average in 105 of the 334 largest counties. New York, N.Y. County recorded the highest average weekly wage at $1,878, followed by Santa Clara, Calif. at $1,699. Rounding out the top five were Washington, D.C. ($1,614), Fairfield Conn. ($1,607), and Arlington, Va. ($1,594). Horry, S.C. ($584), reported the lowest wage, followed by the counties of Cameron and Hidalgo, Texas ($598 each), and Yakima, Wash. ($640).

Average Weekly Wages in California’s Smaller Counties

All 31 counties in California with employment below 75,000 had average wages lower than the national average of $942. Trinity County reported the lowest weekly wage among the smaller counties, averaging $611 in fourth quarter of 2009. (See table 2.)

When all 58 counties in California were considered, all but 11 had wages below the national average of $942. Among these 58 counties, 16 reported weekly wages below $699, 17 reported wages from $700 to $799, 11 posted wages from $800 to $899, and 14 had wages higher than $900. (See chart 1.)