County Hires Collection Agency to Go After $28 million

Apparently thinking that the inconvenience of being pulled over or appearing in court in clean clothes was punishment enough, folks in and around Northampton, NJ, have left behind a trail of some $28 million in unpaid fines, restitutions, and court fees.

Northampton, pulling a Danny Glover and feeling too old for this, has hauled out the big guns: Account Recovery Bureau, a collection agency out of Wyomissing, Berks County.

The county will not pay the company, which will earn its money by charging a 25 percent collection fee to the individuals who owe the county money.

It’s unlikely that Northampton will be able to recoup all $28 million — some criminals remain jailed and have no earnings. Others are poor and cannot pay much, and many criminals cannot be located. Realistically, County Councilman Lamont McClure told the Morning Call, the county could hope to collect around 3 percent to 4 percent of the amount, or about between $859,000 and $1.1 million.

Account Recovery Bureau was among five companies that submitted bids to Northampton County, with collection fees ranging from 14.9 percent to 25 percent.