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Mail theft, toll flags, and a mileage-based user fee

The top 3 “Matter for Mallory” stories in 2024
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BALTIMORE — We're working for you, and in this last year, WMAR-2 News Mallory Sofastaii has exposed theft allegations within USPS, investigated why so many drivers are unable to renew their car registrations, and introduced you to a new program that would change how drivers contribute to transportation projects.

While she's covered many other stories, those are the ones you clicked on the most. Here's a look back at the top 3 "Matter for Mallory" stories of 2024, and some updates.

Stolen checks in the mail
Tom Karle had been waiting months for a payment, until he learned it'd been cashed by someone else.

“Somebody wrote out my name, Tom Karle, signed my name, and then wrote pay to the order of Ladonna Kelly,” Karle told Sofastaii. “I found out that she was the postal carrier for this street.”

The check's value exceeded $3,000. He reported the incident to USPS last December, but when Karle stopped receiving updates , he spoke with WMAR-2 News in July.

READ MORE: Investigating internal mail theft: USPS customer believes mail carrier cashed his $3,000 check

“And there's more than one check for me. I just can't verify them yet, because some of my checks I receive are money orders,” said Karle.

At the time, Kelly denied stealing the checks, and we learned she resigned from USPS on June 14.

UPDATE: Mail carrier charged with theft and issuing a false document
After our report aired, the State of Maryland filed charges against Kelly. According to court documents, her bank flagged four other checks deemed to be fraudulent.

USPS Office of the Inspector General agents interviewed Kelly late July where she admitted to stealing the checks and forging customer's signatures. The potential loss amount exceeded $21,000, however, two of the checks didn't go through so the alleged loss amount is around $5,700.

Sofastaii reached out to Kelly's attorney, she declined to comment on this report. Kelly's trial is scheduled for January 8, 2025.

Toll flags holding up car registrations
And many of you were interested in our reporting about notifications you had received in the mail. Thousands of drivers were told they can't register their cars because of outstanding toll flags.

“So far, I have paid $4,057 and some change, still owing $7,000 and cannot get my car tags registration,” said Tenia Steltz.

Despite having an active Hatem Bridge pass, Steltz said she kept getting video tolls plus civil penalties when she wouldn't pay on time.

“We've had customers with bills of over $3,000,” said Phil Blackiston with Maryland Tag and Title Services, and he called Steltz's situation a daily occurrence. “I guess 99 percent of the time, they're not aware of it. And they say, you know, I didn't know, I don't think I owe anything.”

Sofastaii found that more than 46,000 Maryland drivers had outstanding toll flags as of June 5. And the numbers significantly increased starting September of 2023.

READ MORE: Thousands of Maryland drivers can’t register their cars due to toll flags

When we spoke with the Maryland Transportation Authority, we were told the increase had to do with the toll debt from the pandemic. Notifications were paused until the civil penalty waiver process ended, which was December of 2022 then all outstanding tolls were deescalated and processed from the beginning.

Courtesy letters started going out between July and November of last year.

Maryland tests a mileage-based user fee
And while tolls help pay for transportation projects, the state is still looking at a budget shortfall partially due to more drivers going electric.

In July, we took a closer look at a pilot program that could replace the fuel tax with a mileage-based user fee.

READ MORE: Ditching the gas tax and charging per mile; Maryland testing new way to fund transportation needs

“So, it's pretty simple in concept. If you use the roads, you pay for the roads. You use the roads more, you pay for the roads more, so it's really creating that link between use and payment, and getting away from the fuel tax as being the way we fund transportation,” said Trish Hendren, the executive director for The Eastern Transportation Coalition.

The Eastern Transportation Coalition worked with the Maryland Department of Transportation to test this model last spring with 150 Maryland drivers participating. Their mileage was tracked through odometer readings, a plug-in device, vehicle reporting data, or a phone app.

Hendren said the costs are comparable to what people already pay for the fuel tax but would be inclusive of all drivers including those with electric vehicles.

An alternative is an EV surcharge, but Hendren worries about fairness.

“So, if somebody only drives, I don’t know, a thousand miles a year, versus someone who's driving 12,000 miles a year, but they're paying the same annual flat fee, is that how we want to fund transportation?” Hendren asked.

The state is still analyzing the results of that pilot program. In the meantime, you can see how much this model would cost you with this online calculator.

And to view all of the "Matter of Mallory" stories from this last year, click here.