Posted on 01/31/2009 7:24:56 PM PST by Aglooka
Legislators in Mississippi and Missouri want to rid their respective states of the private companies looking for lucrative contracts to operate automated ticketing machines. Photo ticketing firms have been trying to gain a foothold in Mississippi, but so far have failed. In Missouri, however, high-powered lobbyists were brought in to convince local authorities to install camera systems without authorization from the state legislature. The city of Arnold began issuing tickets in 2005 and was soon followed by nearly forty cities with an interest in installing automated ticketing machines.
That was too much for newly elected state Senator Jim Lembke (R-St. Louis), who said one of his top legislative priorities upon taking office was banning red light cameras.
"These red light cameras are being used as revenue enhancers within municipalities and profit out-of-state companies," Lembke said in a statement. "The cameras can't prove who's driving the vehicle, and many people argue this method of traffic enforcement disregards a person's Fifth Amendment rights and forces self-incrimination. This is an example of big government and Big Brother at its worst."
Lembke's measure, Senate Bill 211 ( view bill, 250k PDF) is a straightforward prohibition that leaves no room for the use of automated ticketing machines anywhere in Missouri. A group of seven Mississippi lawmakers signed on to a similar bill that includes a ban on speed cameras.
"Neither the board of supervisors of any county nor the governing authority of any municipality shall adopt, enact or enforce any ordinance authorizing the use of automated recording equipment or system to enforce compliance with traffic signals, traffic speeds or other traffic laws, rules or regulations on any public street, road or highway within this state or to impose or collect any civil or criminal fine, fee or penalty for any such violation," Senate Bill 2743 states ( view bill, 75k PDF).
The bipartisan measure is sponsored by state Senators Nickey Browning (D-Calhoun), Tommy Dickerson (D-George), Billy Hudson (R-Forrest), Chris McDaniel (R-Jones County), Haskins Montgomery (D-Jasper), Michael Watson (R-Jackson) and Lee Yancey (R-Madison).
Both the Mississippi and Missouri measures have been referred to their respective senate transportation committees for consideration.
(Those of you in NH: SB113 was recently introduced to install red light camera here in the Granite State. Bill was in committee last I checked)
Mississippi ping
I wish them well and hope that they succeed in ridding their state of this “flaw enforcement” tactic. Perhaps it will start a trend...
This is my state senator, and I voted for him. Good!
The cameras are strictly a money making opportunity for cities and states.
One of the city council people here in Pittsburgh, Mr. Peduto, was pretty straight forward as to the pecuniary advantages to the city when he proposed buying the cameras as a good investment to help solve the fiscal problems here.
I avoid shopping in cities that use them. They’re timed to not give you enough time to get thorough the intersection. They’re rigged, and the majority of the money goes out of state. Stupid greedy cities!
Anchorage used to have the mobile photo radar vans set up in school zones. Everyone agrees that not speeding is good in school zones, it’s for the children, right? Well, Anchorage soon found out that the photo radar wasn’t strictly for the children when people started getting tickets at 1:00 in the morning for going 30 in a school zone.
Two things came together at once-the people of Anchorage decided to start contesting the tickets in court, which meant that the photo radar operator hd to come to court to defend his ticket-lost revenue, once word of this got out everybody started to fight the tickets, which created such a backlog that the courts threw them all out, and then Anchorage voted photo radar out with an iniative. It had to be done that way, or the city of Anchorage would have to pay the photo radar company $1million a year in compensation.
For the children indeed. [/sarc]
“is a straightforward prohibition that leaves no room for the use of automated ticketing machines anywhere in Missouri.”
GOOD. I hate those things. I can’t count the number of times I’ve almost been rearended by some idiot thinking I’m going to run a red light so they can too.
It’s nice to see that states still have legislative power of some kind.
I’m glad to see this!
Don’t let them put up even one camera.
They breed...
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