Red Light Cameras Lose At The Polls In Major Cities

The public rejected the use of photo enforcement in five more municipal referendum elections Tuesday. America's fourth-largest city, Houston, Texas, was home to the most hotly contested vote. The group Citizens Against Red Light Cameras, run by brothers Paul and Randy Kubosh, gathered enough signatures to force the issue onto the ballot against the wishes of the city council and in spite of a legal attack from camera operator American Traffic Solutions (ATS).

Outspent by a factor of ten to one, the group nonetheless won a majority of the 335,778 votes cast on the measure. According to campaign finance disclosure documents, ATS poured $1,746,000 into the race, in a desperate attempt to salvage one of the company's most important accounts.

"Despite the opposition having every conceivable advantage the people saw through the hype and the emotional blackmail and saw the cameras for what they are, a money making scheme that violates our constitutional rights and risks driver safety for money," Citizens Against Red Light Camera spokesman Philip Owens told TheNewspaper.

Another ATS account was canceled by citizens in nearby Baytown, where 58 percent voted to terminate the red light camera program.

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Steve - 11/3/2010 1:05:26 PM

+1 Boost

My understanding is that the stats clearly show that red-light cameras generate revenue for the company that leases them and for the municipalities that install them, yet they don't decrease accidents. In many cases, accidents actually *increase*!

This could explain why one side wants em (the side that gets the money), and why the other side doesn't (the side that loses the money, and is placed at higher risk).

Agent009 - 11/3/2010 3:34:39 PM

+2 Boost

It is a vital revenue stream for cities that are having budget shortfalls. So they really don't want it to come up on a vote because they know they are unpopular.

Numerous (mostly smaller) cities have been caught juggling yellow light time lengths in order to increase citations.

internationalmanofmystery - 11/4/2010 9:16:34 AM

+1 Boost

Sneaky, 009