Legislative News Longview council approves advisory vote on traffic cameras
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Longview council approves advisory vote on traffic cameras
Story Discussion Longview council approves advisory vote on traffic cameras
By Amy M.E. Fischer / The Daily News The Daily News Online | Posted: Thursday, June 23, 2011 11:30 pm
The public will have its say on whether to keep or ditch Longview's infamous red light cameras after the pilot program ends next spring — but the vote will be non-binding.
Thursday, the Longview City Council voted 6-1 to place two advisory measures on the November ballot. One measure asks voters if they want to continue using red light cameras at intersections after May 1, 2012. The other asks if voters want to keep speed cameras in school zones. The city attorney said she separated the measures because some citizens may like one type of traffic enforcement camera but not the other.
Councilman Chet Makinster opposed holding the advisory vote, calling it "political cover." Citizens elected the council to represent them can vote the council out if they don’t like its decisions, he said.
Red light camera opponents haven't yet been able to get the number of signatures they need in their attempts to qualify a citizens' initiative for the November ballot, Makinster observed.
If the initiative sponsors do get enough valid signatures in the next 10 days, the city has asked a judge to declare the initiative null and void on the grounds that an initiative can’t be used in this situation.
"We’re going to the court anyway, let it go to the court. ... I think we need to have enough backbone to say, I think we’re going to take it to court," Makinster said, adding that he’s "ashamed" of how the council has handled the matter.
Councilman Don Jensen disagreed, arguing that the citizens have made it clear they want to vote and should be allowed to do so.
Councilman Dennis Weber pointed out that "the majority of signatures were not citizens of Longview and entitled to tell us what to do."
However, Weber wanted the council to wait until August to approve an advisory vote because by then the question of the initiative’s relevancy would be settled. If the city lost the case and was forced to put out a ballot measure based on the initiative petition, there would be confusion due to the advisory vote on the same ballot, he said.
The council questioned what would happen if the initiative petition doesn’t get enough signatures. Mayor Kurt Anagnostou said the city could dismiss its lawsuit, but City Attorney Marilyn Nitteberg-Haan said the decision would be made later.
The city’s traffic camera program has been nabbing red light runners at three Ocean Beach Highway intersections and speeders at two school zones since March. From Feb. 14 through May 31, the city issued 1,604 red light violations and 1,387 school speed-zone violations, according to the police department. All revenues from the program are funneled into a dedicated traffic safety fund.
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