Liberty Leader Barnet Fagel has a post in today’s Expired Meter.
Gov. Quinn Signs Red Light Camera Law
On Friday, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, put pen to paper this afternoon and signed a law that effectively allows municipalities to continue to utilize red light cameras.
The law was passed the Illinois General Assembly back in late April contains some minor tweaks to control how red light camera enforcement is performed in Illinois, but essentially codifies how RLC enforcement was being done all along.
“The so-called Red Light Camera ‘Reform’ Bill was written by the red light camera industry’s lobbyists in a closed-door meeting in Senate President John Cullerton’s Capitol office,” says Scott Tucker, 11th District GOP candidate for the Illinois House of Representatives. “These lobbyists have contributed heavily to Illinois’ legislative incumbents, and as the saying goes, ‘you get what you pay for’. This ‘reform’ bill is not the true reform Illinois’ citizens deserve. This ‘reform’ bill simply codifies-into-law the existing practices of the red light camera industry, Pat Quinn, Mike Madigan, John Cullerton, & Mayor Daley, in the fleecing of Illinois’ families.”
“Red light cameras are a traffic safety measure that effectively reduces the number of crashes in our communities.” said Melody Geraci, interim executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance a group that strongly supported the legislation. “This law will make red light cameras more effective tools in making our roadways safer for even the most vulnerable roadway users – children, seniors, bicyclists, pedestrians and the disabled.”
“It doesn’t address safety, just prosecution,” says RLC opponent and National Motorists Association traffic safety consultant Barnet Fagel. “It’s very wishy-washy. It doesn’t say anything of (using fines) funding safety. Fines should be put back into improving traffic engineering.”
Thanks Barnet. Read this post in the Expired Meter here.