A Fulton County (GA) Superior Court Clerk is facing backlash for keeping over $150,000 in passport fees collected from processing passports legally.
In a letter to Fulton County commissioners, Che Alexander stated that her office processed more than 4,200 passport applications in the first quarter of this year, resulting in a total of $697,000. Of that, she kept $150,010.
A Georgia law permits superior court clerks to either keep passport processing fees or allocate the funds to the county budget. A new law enacted this year mandates that clerks in Georgia disclose the amount of money they retain from state fees. While this practice is legal, some state officials say that it is immoral.
Fulton County Commissioner Bill Ellis called the practice “ethically wrong” in 2022 and expressed his disappointment that Alexander did not attend a June 3 meeting to answer the board’s questions.
“When there are red flags raised, people should be open and responsive,” Ellis said. “This is not a debate around whether it’s warranted or legal; these are just basic questions,” Ellis told Atlanta News First Investigates.
Passport applicants in Georgia are required to pay two fees. The $130 application fee goes to the federal government; a $35 processing fee is paid directly to the superior court clerk’s office, where it can be utilized as needed.
In a 2023 state legislative hearing, several county clerks defended their right to retain passport fees, with many stating that the service creates duties not included in their job descriptions.
Fannin County’s superior court clerk, Dana Chastain, said in smaller counties like hers, “post offices don’t process passport applications, which adds more to her workload.”
“Each passport you do, I try to do personally, unless I’m in court,” Chastain said, according to Atlanta News First Investigates. “It takes about 20 to 30 minutes. We go through rigorous training every year. We are the first line of defense for fraud, abduction, and human trafficking.”
RELATED CONTENT: State Department Announces U.S. Passports Can Be Renewed Online
