91 posts tagged red light cameras
Thanks again to Jerry Doyle for keeping the push back by Campaign for Liberty and War On Driving against the proliferation of scameras on high alert.
We are winning!
Audio from the 3.13.2013 Show:
D.C.’s red light camera network is expanding rapidly, which may backfire against the vendors that are now data mining and ticketing politicians and bureaucrats on their daily journey into the beltway.
This hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Washington Times, especially in the wake of the Chicago Bribery Scandal.
As revenue doubled from photo tickets in just one year (2011 vs 2012), the Times has come up with a very appropriate moniker for the flashing boxes:
From The Washington Times:
Privatizing law enforcement should never be done lightly. The combination of the government’s power to restrain individual liberty and greed for profit invites corruption. That’s the scenario playing out across the country with revenue cameras, sometimes called red-light cameras.
The most extensive photo-ticketing program in the world is in (surprise!) Chicago, and soon the greedy guys may be shopping for lawyers. The city had invitedRedflex Traffic Systemsto issue tickets in a deal that meant $100 million for the Australian firm and $300 million for the revenue pot stirred by the municipal bureaucrats. With numbers that big on the line, it’s hardly a surprise that the company behind this “safety” program cut corners to encourage the city to increase the number of cameras.
Redflex continues to prove the maxim, “there’s no honor among thieves.”
Instead of waiting for all the gory details about massive corruption within the company, relating to the decade long (and soon to be terminated) contract with Chicago, Redflex is sticking their head in the dirt.
It’s back to court for the camera vendor, who has now filed suit against their own VP, Aaron Rosenberg. Nevermind that he’s been conducting himself in the same way for the last 10 years, while the upper brass at Redflex defended him publicly.
The case has been filed in Arizona Superior Court, near Redflex’s U.S. headquarters.
[Chicago Tribune Article 2.22.13]
It’s no secret that executives at American Traffic Solutions (ATS) and Redflex hate each other. One sued the other over the freeway speed camera contract with the state of Arizona. Then the other counter-sued. It was quite amusing for those who were able to witness the proceedings and both companies were repeatedly reprimanded by the judge for their frivolous arguments.
ATS CEO Jim Tuton likes to brag that he served as mentor for current Redflex CEO Karen Finley. The company that is now called Redflex was actually started by Tuton and sold. Shortly thereafter he picked right back up in the scamera business, re-launching ATS to compete with his old organization.
Both Redflex and ATS have lost at the ballot box, several times over in the last 4-5 years. Usually it’s one or the other that are fighting the citizens to keep their flashing boxes mounted in their streets and intersections. In one case in 2012, they have pooled massive resources to beat a ballot measure in Murietta, CA.
They will both lose at the ballot box again today.
Murietta’s “Initiative N” would ban the $490 automated tickets sent out by ATS and scrap the cameras. The fight over this initiative has become so contentious that Redflex felt it necessary to jump in and donate $25,000 to a front group opposing the ban. [source]
The Press Enterprise from nearby Riverside, CA reports:
In filings over the past week or so, Safe Streets for Murrieta reported receiving $105,000 in contributions from two camera companies. Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions, which has a contract to provide red-light cameras to Murrieta, has given $80,000 to the committee.
The committee also reported a $25,000 donation from another Arizona-based camera company: Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. of Phoenix. Redflex does not have a contract with Murrieta.
The committee reported it had already spent $50,000 by Oct. 20. It made a late filing this week, reporting an additional $55,000 contribution from ATS.
It’s looking like the $1,000 that the supports of the ban have spent on yard signs is going to be more than enough to defeat this massive astro-turfy push by ATS and Redflex.
This isn’t the first time the two vendors have teamed up. They also fund the front group Red Means Stop. However, it has been a while since the two have so publicly joined resources to make a stink.
