Some municipalities are all talk, little or no action, in regard to enforcing some of their ordinances, such as those directed at junk vehicles and dilapidated properties.

Some municipalities talk tough about enforcing roadway weight restrictions, but that intention oftentimes falls by the wayside because of the time and effort involved.

The weak commitment to enforcing the restrictions shows up later by way of increased disregard for the weight limits, premature roadway deterioration and then extra outlays of tax revenue to repair the damage.

If there are ordinances that a municipality doesn't want to enforce, it should repeal them and accept the consequences, rather than perpetrate an enforcement sham.

Presumably the Jackson Township supervisors are serious about addressing violations of roadway weight restrictions. They are considering passing into law next month a stricter overweight-truck ordinance, and two of the police department's officers have completed schooling allowing them to become certified to perform truck inspections.

For about five years, the township has not had a certified truck-inspections officer.

Most Jackson Township roads are posted at a 10-ton weight limit; the only trucks in excess of that weight that are legally permitted on those roads are trucks making local deliveries.

The intent of the ordinance under consideration is aimed at what was termed "transient truck traffic" - heavy trucks using the township as a shortcut to their destinations. Trucks in excess of posted weight limits cut years from the life of road surfaces not built to accommodate them.

The township has a right - indeed, an obligation - to protect its facilities. According to the township, the proposed ordinance will attempt to more clearly define the municipality's weight-limit restrictions, clarifying what constitutes a local delivery and what does not.

In the past, the township has had problems enforcing the current ordinance because the restrictions were not spelled out clearly enough.

Approval of the proposed ordinance should be delayed if there are provisions that might prove to be a problem at a hearing before a district judge.

The new ordinance should be correct to the best of the township's ability when it is passed.

Blaine Lucas, township solicitor, characterized the proposed ordinance as "fairly aggressive" and much more stringent than similar ordinances in many other municipalities across the state.

If so, that is an indication that the township is serious about the measure and that the ordinance will be a meaningful addition to the township's laws.

But stringent or not, to be effective the law must be enforced to the best of the township's ability.

Time will judge the strength of the township's commitment.