Free Republic

MIAMI (Reuters) - As courts across the United States struggle to determine the legality of red-light cameras, drivers are slipping through a patchwork of often conflicting laws to avoid millions in fines. Two south Florida judges dismissed 24,000 red-light tickets worth an estimated $6.3 million earlier this week over concerns Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions Inc (ATS), which provides the cameras, was too involved in the outcome of cases. By Florida law "the police have certain powers they cannot delegate to private vendors," said Ted Hollander, who represented the Florida drivers. "What we found in testimony is that (the company) had...

Downtown developers are parking millions of tax dollars in their garages.___ When downtown Fort Worth was in the doldrums back in the late ’80s, the Sundance Square real estate development group — led by billionaire Ed Bass — knew what the problem was. Parking, pure and simple. It’s not that downtown didn’t have parking, it was just that people had gotten used to free parking in the suburbs. No one charged for parking out at shopping malls or at restaurants or nightclubs, and folks didn’t want to shell out five or 10 bucks to store their cars for a few...

Despite failure, governor defends emerging technology fund AUSTIN — A company that received $3 million from Gov. Rick Perry's Emerging Technology Fund to develop a high-tech cooling device has closed down. NanoCoolers Inc., an Austin company founded in 2002, is the first firm to fail after receiving a grant from the state fund. It was working on a thermoelectric cooling system that would help cool semiconductors. The Texas Democratic Party criticized the Republican governor over the failure Monday, saying it proves "that his slush funds need more accountability."

Is this Shopping Center Blighted? Place your Vote! . . . . Go to "Add Comment" The tenants are mainly successful entrepreneurs with booming business The Village of Arlington Heights, Illinois is voting to seize the International Plaza Shopping Center, by eminent domain, in order to transfer ownership to a private developer who plans to build a SuperTarget. This will significantly hurt and, in many instances, put out of business over 70 tenants in the shopping center. How can they do this? The only legal way is to declare the property "blighted," which they have done. Despite the fact that...