State to audit municipal courts after Ferguson

ST. LOUIS -- Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich says he plans to investigate whether some municipal courts are improperly relying on traffic fines to boost city revenue.

KWMU-FM reports the state auditor will review five local courts annually to ensure that municipal governments aren't funneling more than 30 percent of their income from traffic tickets into city coffers. Missouri law requires local governments to turn over that excess money to the state.

Schweich discussed the upcoming review Tuesday with St. Louis business leaders. The auditor said he wants to be sure local courts aren't "mistreating any person of a different race or religion and also whether they are refunding money to the state or illegally keeping money for themselves."

Local courts have come under greater scrutiny after the fatal Ferguson police shooting.

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Information from: KWMU-FM, http://www.kwmu.org