This editorial appears in the June 25 Yakima Herald-Republic

Maybe it's time for a few people around here to be tossed into the clink for failing to pay their speeding tickets and parking fines.

That might just be the attention grabber folks need in order for Yakima County to begin collecting on the $23 million in unpaid traffic tickets and court fines that scofflaws have accumulated over the past 20 years.

Other methods, including an amnesty program run by the county over the past couple of months, don't seem to be making much of an impression. Offered for the second time in five years, the program -- which seeks to collect unpaid fines but forgives accumulated interest in most cases -- collected $31,000 in May and settled 108 cases. While it's hardly a monetary windfall, that amount exceeds a similar monthlong amnesty program in 2005, when $20,000 was recouped on 54 cases.

The county extended the amnesty program through June and has so far brought in another $7,133 this month.

It's not that the county hasn't been taking reasonable steps to get the fines paid. Court collectors send out notices and make phone calls trying to collect unpaid fines. When that fails, collection agencies take a crack at bringing in the mountain of overdue money.

Court officials say the amount of money owed here is in line with the rate of nonpayments across the state. And while it is comforting to know that we don't have a particular problem, it's galling to realize that collecting even a scant 10 percent of the outstanding monies would nearly pay for the $2 million per year cost of running Yakima County District Court.

And while county officials correctly point out that jailing those who fail to pay off their tickets makes little sense when jails are already full and are expensive to run, neither does it make sense to us that there are few consequences for those who choose to ignore their tickets.

Jailing -- or at least arresting -- a couple of the worst offenders wouldn't bother us in the least. Even better, we relish the thought of mandatory community service for those who ignore their obligations. We hear the community's graffiti-control efforts could use additional helpers. Picking up litter wouldn't hurt, either.

We'd bet a whole lot more folks would be taking advantage of the amnesty program if there were annoying, time-consuming consequences for blowing off the penalties. It's worth a shot.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.