Where Does the Money from Los Angeles's $190 Jaywalking Tickets Go?

When officials said they were going to step up traffic enforcement on downtown Los Angeles's streets, most people learned for the first time that jaywalking could cost a pedestrian a whopping $190.

You'd think with tickets that high the city could make some sizable investments in sidewalk improvements or new crosswalks, right? Well, as it turns out, only 12 percent of the funds, $22.54 for each ticket, actually goes back to the city, according to a study by blogdowntown that calculates where L.A.'s jaywalking fees go. The rest goes to a long list of state and county agencies.

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Of the amount that Los Angeles keeps—a paltry $13.2 million this year—blogdowntown reports that "$4.7 million will be spent on street services, $7.5 million will go to transportation needs such as traffic signs and control devices, while the rest will go to special transportation projects."