Red Light Camera News Red-light cameras to ballot
(Thanks to www.stpetecameras.org for the link!)
http://galvestondailynews.com/story/288130
Red-light cameras to ballot
By Christopher Smith Gonzalez
The Daily News
Published January 25, 2012
LEAGUE CITY — Residents in League City will be the ones to decide if the city’s red-light camera program should be continued after the contract for the cameras runs out in 2014.
The city council decided by a unanimous vote to place the proposition in the next special municipal election.
City Attorney Arnold Polanco said the vote would be in the form of a charter amendment.
“I appreciate that this is a very contentious issue,” said Councilman Mick Phalen.
He and Councilman Mike Lee placed the item on the council agenda.
Phalen said he had heard from people in League City asking for more of the cameras. Phalen also said he had received many emails from people in Baytown about the cameras.
Phalen said if he is still on the city council when the contract runs out in October 2014, he would probably vote against extending the contract as written now.
He would like to see changes made concerning tickets for right turns, among other changes, Phalen said.
But a citywide vote would give everyone a chance to show their support or disapproval of the cameras, he said.
“Generally, when this goes to the voters it’s very, very tight,” Phalen said. “Lets find out.”
The city signed a five-year contract for the cameras in 2009 and agreed to pay Redflex Traffic Systems a monthly maintenance fee of $38,960 to operate the cameras.
The cameras are at three intersections along FM 518 — at Marina Bay Drive, Interstate 45 and state Highway 3.
The city would have to pay Redflex almost $1.3 million if the council decides to cancel the contract in February, Kristi Wyatt, the city’s spokeswoman, said.
Both Lee and Phalen previously sighted the cost associated with breaking the contract with Redflex as the reason for asking voters what should be done when the contract runs out instead of voting to bring cameras down now.
Byron Schirmbeck, a resident of Baytown who led the fight against the cameras there, spoke to the city council and asked that they call for an up-or-down vote to bring the cameras down immediately.
“You are not going to the true sentiment of the public,” Schirmbeck said.
He said the vote as voted on by the city council would not inspire residents to vote.
Schirmbeck said an outside group sponsored by the camera company could lobby to keep the cameras up.
But Councilwoman Phyllis Sanborn said she would not support using taxpayer money to end the contract or pay for a court battle with the camera company.
Sanborn said she had heard from many people who liked the cameras.
During the public comment section of the council meeting, residents got up to speak for and against the cameras.
“Let’s get this over to the voters,” Lee said.
Far from being influenced by outside groups, Lee said he believed city residents would be informed and ready to vote for or against continuing the camera program.
“The voters in this town are smart enough to know the difference, do the right thing and become educated,” he said.
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