http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7696529.html

Mayor releases plan for red-light cameras
As city battles vendor, resolution will ask council to OK devices' shutoff
By ANITA HASSAN
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Aug. 13, 2011, 9:49PM
 
With some stern words for the company operating Houston's red-light cameras, Mayor Annise Parker released a draft of a resolution Saturday to ask for City Council approval to turn off the controversial cameras.

The resolution, set to go to vote on Wednesday, asks the City Council to litigate the American Traffic Solutions suit to conclusion or to a reasonable settlement. Parker said in a prepared statement on Saturday that the city's legal team will fight until the cameras are gone for good.

"I refuse to let (American Traffic Solutions) hold the City of Houston and its taxpayers hostage to an unreasonable demand for millions of dollars," she said. "ATS should now know that when they walked away from the negotiating table, they started a battle that they won't win with the citizens of Houston."

The resolution also asks that following its passage and approval, City Council also consider repealing the ordinance that allows the use of red-light cameras in the city.

The city began citing red-light runners captured on the cameras in September 2006. The system collected nearly $50.5 million in fines before 53 percent of Houston voters approved a referendum in November to turn off the cameras.

Then last month, after a federal judge declared the election invalid, Parker ordered them back turned on.

Organizers of the petition drive that put the camera question on November's ballot rallied dozens of speakers to appear at a council meeting early this month to criticize the mayor for her decision to have turned the cameras back on.

Last week, the city received a formal settlement demand from ATS for $18 million if the cameras were turned off. Two days later, the company rescinded its settlement demand, according to the resolution draft.

According to officials with ATS, the company has filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent the shutoff of the cameras.

The city's contract with American Traffic Solutions runs through May 2014.

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