Linndale speed trap to come to an end? Ohio legislature passes bill to limit mayor's courts

LINNDALE, Ohio - Ever get caught in the Linndale speed trap? Linndale is a well-known name to most people in northeast Ohio, and people familiar with the short stretch of I-71 patrolled by Linndale police know to slow down in the area.

The speed trap is a notorious money-maker for the small Village of Linndale, but new legislation is putting an end to that.

"Essentially, this bill puts some sensible limits on mayor's courts to ensure that the public is not being unnecessarily cited only to line the city's coffers," said Sen. Tom Patton (R-Strongsville).

Wednesday, Senator Patton -- a known opposer of the Linndale speed trap -- announced the passage of his initiative to increase the minimum population municipalities must have in order to operate a mayor's court function.

While speaking on the floor of the Ohio Senate, Patton noted the Village of Linndale only has about 179 residents and only spans about five city blocks. Still, he highlighted, they obtain more than 80 percent of its annual operating budget from citations. The senator said Linndale's mayor's court processed nearly 5,000 cases in 2010 alone.

 "This doesn't eliminate mayor's courts," said Patton, "it weeds out the ones who abuse their power for financial gain."

Patton's initiative passed as an amendment to House Bill 606, which was said to clear the Senate Floor by a 26-6 vote. The bill will now return to the Ohio House of Representatives for a concurrence vote before being sent to Governor John R. Kasich to sign.