Red Light Camera News Like a Crack Addict who relapses, Brooksville up to RLC scam again (2.9 mil to be taken from public)
Like a Crack Addict who relapses, Brooksville up to RLC scam again (2.9 mil to be taken from public)
Like a Crack Addict who relapses, Brooksville up to RLC scam again (2.9 mil to be taken from public). For how long this time???
Ban the Cams note: given the fact that according to earlier report on this drove out business, we wonder how long this will last this time.
We will report more as it is known.
Brooksville to see the return of red light cameras
By JEFF SCHMUCKER | Hernando Today
Published: October 3, 2011
Updated: 10 min. ago
BROOKSVILLE - City council members reversed course yet again and in a narrow vote approved to bring red light cameras back to Brooksville.
During Monday's public meeting, council members voted 3-2 to enter into a contract with a company to install 20 red light cameras in Brooksville and pay $4,500 a month per camera.
It is unknown where the cameras will be installed. However, city officials expect the cameras to begin going up in early March and have all of them operational by May.
All told, city officials expect the $158 tickets to bring in more than $2.9 million in revenues for the budget year with the city keeping $602,721 after expenses.
Check back on this story for more updates or see Wednesday's edition of Hernando Today.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (352) 544-5271
Ban the Cams added note: There is a good editorial on why Brooksville shouldn't have done this too: http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/brooksville-shouldnt-turn-to-red-light-cameras-to-make-ends-meet/1194744
Best quote came from Rep Corcoran: "Unequivocally, I can tell you there will be all sorts of legislation filed dealing with red-light cameras," said Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-New Port Richey, who sponsored the 2011 bill banning them.
Ban the Cams will publish a list later this month on the top 5 bills that should be filed against the RLC scam!
Update on the article below:
It seems only the newcomer scamera "true" believer tried to fight criticisim of the scam. (the other pro scamera votes weren't hiding behind pixie dust claiming it was for safety).
Brooksville to see the return of red light cameras
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By JEFF SCHMUCKER | Hernando Today
Published: October 3, 2011
Updated: 10/04/2011 01:42 pm
BROOKSVILLE - City council members reversed course yet again and in a narrow vote approved to bring red light cameras back to Brooksville.
During Monday's public meeting, council members voted 3-2 to enter into a contract with Sensys America, Inc. to install 20 red light cameras in Brooksville and pay $4,500 a month per camera.
Mayor Frankie Burnett and Councilman Joe Bernardini voted against the measure.
It is unknown where the cameras will be installed. However, city officials expect the cameras to begin going up in early March and have all of them operational by May.
All told, city officials expect the $158 tickets to bring in an additional $2.6 million in revenues with the city keeping $602,721 after expenses.
Under the agreement, Sensys would receive $90,000 a month — or $540,000 in a six month period.
For Sensys and Brooksville to show a 50-50 split of the red light camera profits— which equates to $75 per $158 ticket after the state takes its $83 share — each camera would need to capture at least four traffic infractions a day.
That equates to 2,400 tickets a month, or roughly 14,400 in a six month period to generate $1.08 million — or $540,000 for each entity.
Under the agreement, the city keeps any additional profits. If not enough ticket revenue is generated to pay the full $90,000 a month, Sensys would receive no more than 50 percent of what the city garners through red light camera tickets. The remaining balance would be due on a later date.
Some things change, yet remain the same
There were some stark similarities between Monday's red light camera debate and those that occurred during the summer of 2010 and last spring.
Former city councilman Richard Lewis, who in 2010 voted against keeping the cameras, returned to City Hall to implore the council to vote against having the devices reinstalled.
As was similarly argued before, he claimed the red light cameras would result in fewer travelers wanting to visit Brooksville, which would in turn harm local businesses.
Local Attorney Joe Mason, who has similarly spoken before council against the cameras, asked council members to research the matter further rather than "fall for a red light camera salesman's 'pixie dust.'"
"It's not about the money — you're just in a hurry to put up red light cameras," Mason said. "But if you're going to make a decision, make it by the facts, not by the salesmanship."
Unlike past red light camera debates, there was little fanfare from council members who support the cameras. There were no tearful urgings by Councilwoman Lara Bradburn to bring the cameras back in an effort to prevent traffic accidents and save lives.
And at no time was there a heated back-and-forth between Bradburn and Councilman Joe Bernardini, despite the two having come to heated words in the past.
Instead, council newcomer Kevin Hohn offered the rebuttal, claiming that he has looked under the "pixie dust" and found no concrete evidence to support claims that the cameras chased away potential visitors to the city.
He also refuted the claim that the cameras caused more rear-end collisions — using a similar pro-gun slogan to say that red light cameras don't cause rear-end collisions, but that speeding motorists do.
He added that he's researched the topic since before being appointed on the council along with talking to business owners and other residents.
"There was a time when I was really on the fence about it," Hohn said. "But the more I read what was on the blogs, the more I thought, 'Thou doth protest too much.'"
Following the vote, council members next discussed what to do with the added red light camera revenue.
Hohn said he wants 80 percent to be put toward business development while Bradburn asked that more money be put toward capital improvement projects, such as improving roads.
Rather than make a decision Monday, council agreed to table the matter until the Oct. 17 meeting.
In other business, council members also voted:
3-2 to allow for beer sales at the Quarry Golf Course. Burnett and Hohn voted against the measure, with Hohn stating that government shouldn't be in the business of selling alcohol and added there are too many liabilities.
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