State to cities: cameras aren't there to just make money

State Transportation Director Paul Trombino said on Monday that Iowa cities like Cedar Rapids with traffic enforcement cameras on state roads won’t have to take them down if they add to highway safety. Instead, Trombino said proposed new rules being adopted by the state will require that cities with enforcement cameras along with the state conduct an annual review to see if the cameras are adding to highway safety and not simply producing revenue for local communities. DOT Director: Traffic Cameras Need to Prove Safety, Not Just Bring in Revenue

Not quite abolishing the revenue-generating boxes, but it's a step in the right direction, although a very minor one.

Don't want to kill the $3 million cash cow, do they?

Iowa traffic cameras, 2012

Iowa City is looking to fill their coffers with some added cash.

The state is getting involved with HF2048

That bill flat out prohibits the use of traffic cameras in the state.

Traffic cameras in Iowa, update 2/4/11

Seems like Iowa City is exploring the idea of installing cameras.

For safety, of course. No?:

“From what I understand, not too many people get excited by raising taxes, so this is a method of raising revenue that I think needs to be explored,” he [Iowa City Police Chief Sam Hargadine] said.

I guess we know who is getting excited.

At the statehouse, the senate has introduced a new bill (SF129) to ban the use of cameras to enforce highway laws.

Some public comments by the politicos in charge at New proposal would ban traffic cameras in Iowa

Missing out on the cash cow

No speed cameras for West Des Moines, councilmen say

Yea, it's about the money

Citizens caught on speed cameras will see black marks on credit ratings

Cedar Rapids: "We're in the money" (over half a million)

Over $600,000 in less than seven months.

Southbound I-380 has yet to go live.

If you want to find out if you've been caught: Cedar Rapids traffic fine database

Cedar Rapids mayor and city council sings! (Along with the dancing police force):

Southbound and down - Ka-ching

More cameras are scheduled to go up in Cedar Rapids.

Southbound I-380 Camera Could Be Live by Mid-October

Cedar Rapid's new slogan will soon be: "Nearly 3 Billion served."

Headlines, 9/22/10

New snitch line open: Now you can text to crimestoppers.

This is the reason we encrypt laptops: Man Steals Electronics From Hospital, Gets Crack Cocaine In Return

Muscatine joins the traffic camera bandwagon: Muscatine traffic cameras get go signal

Speed cameras (Ka-ching) coming to Cedar Falls

With the success of the speed and red-light cameras in Cedar Rapids, IA, a neighboring city to the north: Cedar Falls looking at speed cameras.

"It should be an enforcement tool, not a revenue generator," [Cedar Falls Police Chief Jeff] Olson said.

In a sense that would make this extortion, as in one is forced to pay up.

As for issuing warnings instead of $100 fines:

"We talked about a tryout period to just issue warnings. But we have to keep in mind the company isn't going to give us $60,000 in equipment to issue warnings and not generate revenue," Olson said.

What just a sec, here. I thought he said it was about enforcement of laws, not revenue. Then he states its about generating revenue and not issue a warning.

But he didn't mention it's really about safety, safety, safety.

This is racist?

The citizen-led groups that want the public to decide the future of red light cameras are racist, according to lawsuits filed by American Traffic Solutions (ATS) in a pair of Texas cities.

Texas: ATS Labels Anti-Traffic Camera Initiatives Racist


Logic is gone in America if this holds true.

Another camera up in the Surveillance State, Cedar Rapids

Newest I-380 speed camera goes live at midnight

That means it's been running since this morning.

From this comment that proves human nature is what it is:

I drove 380 northbound today. Everyone was doing about 8 to 10 over. At the first speedcams, everyone slowed down. About a 1/4 mile later back to 8 to 10 over. At the second speedcams, everyone slowed down again. Then once past the cams, back to 8 to 10 over. On the southbound lanes, everyone was doing 8 to 10 over all the way through CR. So where are all these slow cars the police have been talking about?

So with another camera up, a driver could get 3 tickets in less than 10 minutes and not know about it for weeks.

Remember, it's all about safety, safety, safety.

Traffic cameras make us safer?

Let's ask the Chinese:



*** I only point out that none of the cameras at the intersections prevented a single accident. I'm not trying to make light of anyone's injuries.

Cedar Rapids introduced cameras at intersections throughout the city with the primary notion that it would reduce the number of accidents and we would be safer. Just because they bring in over $1000/day, that has nothing to do with it.