Red Light Camera News The bottom here is, 'don't mess with Texas.'
http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-houston/the-bottom-here-is-don-t-mess-with-texas-review-2
The bottom here is, 'don't mess with Texas.'
Don Allison
Houston Political Buzz Examiner
September 26, 2011
When it comes to a government for the people, by the people, Houston's Mayor Annise Parker, the Houston Police Officer's Union and American Traffic Solutions has joined the national consensus that governing is for the elite of certain people against the will of ordinary people.
A big misconception is that Red Light cameras' sole purpose is for public safety. If that were true, Houston wouldn't still be in the courts fighting for the people's will. Once again, this issue is back.
On Friday, September 23, another lawsuit was filed against the city of Houston over tickets issued after last year's election, which more than 50 percent of the people voted to do away with the cameras. This class action lawsuit is asking the city to dismiss any and all tickets issued after the people spoke in November, 2010.
Both Parker and HPOU's Mark Clark, who was a paid lobbyist for ATS, love the cameras and the revenue generated for the city. Clark was paid approximately, $10,000 to starve off state wide resentment of the camera system. Parker was betting on revenue generated by the cameras to offset the city budget's shortfall.
ATS and city governments across the country is having a hard time proving that the cameras reduce traffic accidents at red light intersections. The people are not as dumb as governments would think them to be. Voters know all too well, red light cameras are only a source of revenue and public safety is the last item considered in contracts negotiations.
The city of Los Angeles has dumped the company. Over in Baytown, Texas ATS was run out of town. Up in College Station, ATS is not welcomed and Bellinghm, Washington is about to give them the boot. When a company lobbies a governmental body to go against the grain of public sentiment, it's intentions is not about public safety, but profits.
When a governmental body puts revue at the top of priorities, it's not about public safety or the people's will, it's about balancing budgets and attempts at generating surplus.
Rightfully so, the class action lawsuit should accomplish it's purpose. The tickets should be dismissed and hopefully ATS will ride off into the sunset, lonely, rejected and with less cash in it's pockets. The bottom here is, don't mess with Texas.'
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