One Ozarks town knows all too well the consequences of such a law.

House Bill 683 would restrict cities to collecting 35% of their general revenue from speeding tickets. Any money in excess of that threshold would go back to the state for distribution to schools. The current threshold is 45%.

Missouri State Senator John Greisheimer proposed the legislation after his son got a ticket in the little town of Foristell, Mo.

"I've had a personal vendetta against them for years," Greisheimer said of Foristell. Greisheimer said the measure was added to House Bill 683 with little discussion.

The proposal is part of a larger transportation bill that awaits action from Gov. Jay Nixon.

MACKS CREEK

Macks Creek in Camden County is very familiar with the current law.

The community of 290 attracted national attention for being one of the top 10 speed traps in the country. Seated on Highway 54, the speed limit dropped from 70 to 45 miles per hour through the town.

A 1997 audit found the city was exceeding the 45% cap on speeding ticket revenue. In fact, the report found the city prosecutor was amending speeding violations into other charges so that the city's revenue would not exceed the state limits.

TODAY

These days, the town is still trying to recover from the negative cloud cast over the town over a decade ago.

"Somebody will ask you where you're from. You say 'Macks Creek, Mo.' [They say] 'Oh! I know where that is! Do they still have the speed trap?'," said long-time resident Sherry Summers.

Thursday, she showed us a town that is nearing extinction. Macks Creek is still in bankruptcy.

"The city was run bad and they knew it," said Mayor Joel Stoner. "They knew the laws and they tried to circumvent them."

Most of the businesses are closed, now. The only doors open Thursday in historic downtown Macks Creek were the Post Office and City Hall. (CORRECTION: the Macks Creek Bank, located just off the historic strip, was also open. Also, Palmer Feed and Propane, located in Macks Creek, is open.) To get out of bankruptcy now, the city is considering selling the last building it owns - City Hall. That building also houses the senior center.

"It would mean a loss to a lot of people," said Summers.

The change to Macks Creek's legislative namesake wouldn't mean much for the city. It doesn't have a police department and hasn't since 1997. Camden County enforces the local laws now. Any traffic revenue goes to the county.

"The only thing we get money off of is the old traffic tickets. When people get their license in other states and they check and find out they got a ticket," Stoner said.

Traffic fines from over a decade ago.

...Still benefitting from a speed trap that, long ago, destroyed the town.

"Just trying to get away from that reputation of speed trap," Stoner said.

Compliance

Allison Bruns, a spokeswoman with the state auditor's office, said the Macks Creek law very rarely is enforced.

Every year, Missouri cities submit financial statements, but there's no uniform form for the statements. Therefore, it's hard to figure out the revenue percentages.

"It's very hard to determine compliance because there isn't a standardized form," Bruns said.

Fines are rarely seperated out and categorized in the reports. Thursday, there wasn't anyone in the auditor's office who remembered any city ever violating the law.

dmagditch@kspr.com