Speed Camera News Indiana May Get Photo Traffic Enforcment
Here is some more photo camera phun.
Members of the Indiana State Legislature all have public email. Some members might be in need of the Federal lawsuit pointing out that in these strained budget times, forcing the state to spend tax dollars on citizen's lawsuits might not be the best idea.
Also, there are likely some local political blogs that would be happy to know about the same suit.
Plus, the statism from the photo camera company and the willing recipients is disgraceful.
Laird
Link: http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/33/3380.asp
Traffic Camera Companies Renew Push in Indiana
Members of Indiana General Assembly leadership introduce legislation promoting photo enforcement.
State Senator Jim MerritThe residents of six cities with a combined population of over 2.7 million voted last year to outlaw the use of automated ticketing machines on their streets. The photo enforcement industry is now working overtime to make up for lost ground by expanding operations into states where neither red light cameras nor speed cameras have been well received. Lobbyists are hopeful that Indiana could be the next state to reconsider.
Powerful members of the General Assembly earlier this month introduced legislation to authorize the use of traffic cameras. House Majority Leader William C. Friend (R-Elkhart) introduced House Bill 1199 authorizing the widespread use of speed cameras. Senate Majority Caucus Chairman Jim Merrit (R-Marion County) authored a companion measure, Senate Bill 527, legalizing red light cameras. Photo ticketing vendor Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) has given lawmakers $51,650 with most of the funds directed to the House and Senate Republican campaign committees and Republican Governor Mitch Daniels. Democrats have also gotten in on the action. In October, Arizona-based camera company American Traffic Solutions gave state Representative Pat Bauer (D-South Bend) $1000. State Representative Shelli VanDenburgh (D-Lake County) cosponsored the speed camera bill.
This legislation allows the state highway department to lower the speed limit on a freeway or a locality to designate a "work zone" where a photo radar device would be set up to issue tickets worth $300 for a first offense to $1000 for a third. The systems could also be used in school zones during times when class is in session. Tickets would be mailed within six business days of the alleged violation and notice must be sent by certified mail.
The Senate red light camera bill gives the private company up to sixty days to drop the $150 ticket into a regular mail box. The state government would take a thirty percent share of the net profit from citations issued by municipalities and would suspend the registration of any vehicle owner that did not receive or respond to a ticket. The measure also repeals the definition of "official traffic control devices" under Indiana law, allowing private corporations to regulate traffic instead of the "authority of a public body."
If adopted, the laws would take effect in July 2011. A copy of SB 527 is available in a 350k PDF file at the source link below.
Source: PDF File Senate Bill 527 (Indiana General Assembly, 1/6/2011)
Subscribe to this comment's feedwritten by tim tim , January 19, 2011
This is totally a money issue. They only issued $11,000 in fines for the first month and half that goes to the company that owns the equipment. Out of the fines issued, who knows how many people didn't pay. So a conservative estimate for people who paid minus the amount paid to the owners of the equipment is $4,000. That was the first month. Every month it is up, less people speed which means less revenue. Since they had to post an officer there at all times (whose salary is $30-40K), they would have to make $2500 to $3500 a month just to break even.
I would say that the funds ran out and the mayor is trying to save face. This was never about safety, it was about bringing in the benjamins.
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