Vicksburg Municipal Court is offering people who owe the city back fines a chance to come in and pay them and avoid arrest.

The three-month amnesty period runs from Feb. 2 to April 30. People who voluntarily come in during that time and pay their fines in full will not face arrest for non-payment, according to information from the court.

The amnesty period is an annual program offered by the court to give people an opportunity to pay their fines and avoid arrest.

Collecting past due fines has been a problem for the city. Presently, city records show the amount of past-due fines totals about $4,068,883.79.

Besides the amnesty period, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in December approved an agreement with Municipal Intercept Co. LLC to work with the Mississippi Department of Revenue to put a lien on an individual’s state income tax refund if they owe the city money.

Municipalities are authorized to take money owed for past due fines or other debts from a person’s state income tax refund under a bill approved in the 2018 session of the Mississippi Legislature.