Which statement accurately describes whether statutes establish limits on the maximum penalties municipalities can create in ordinances?

• A. They do not establish any limits on maximum penalties.
• B. They do establish limits on maximum penalties.
• C. They establish limits only for fines, not jail time.
• D. They apply equally to all penalties, including civil fines.

Answer: (B)

State statutes establish ceilings on what municipalities can punish in their ordinances. When a city creates an ordinance, its penalties must stay within the maximums set by state law for the offense type, covering both fines and any potential jail time. The municipality can specify details and combinations within those statutory limits, and there may be separate caps for civil penalties, but exceeding the statewide maximum isn’t allowed. So there are definite limits on maximum penalties, not total freedom to punish as the municipality wishes. The other statements misstate this: limits do exist, and they often apply to both fines and jail time, while civil penalties may have their own caps rather than being governed in exactly the same way as criminal penalties.