Red light camera industry fights citizen vote
Noah Pransky, WTSP 9:05 a.m. EDT September 4, 2014
BROOKSVILLE, Florida - You could call it a love triangle, except there is no love lost between the three parties fighting over red light cameras in one of Florida's smallest cities.
Florida's leading red light camera-provider American Traffic Solutions confirms to 10 Investigates Wednesday that it has joined the fight to prevent a citizen-backed referendum on red light cameras from ever reaching a ballot. The city is also fighting the referendum on grounds that it infringes upon city council's power.
However, the enemy of the city's enemy is not its friend in this case; the city is objecting to the intervention from the industry-backed group.
As previously reported by 10 Investigates, Tampa law firm Carlton Fields Jorden Burt incorporated a group last week called "Keep Florida Roads Safe," and immediately filed lawsuits to prevent voters from having a say on red light cameras (RLC). The firm has represented ATS before, but would not reveal if it formed the new group on behalf of ATS.
http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/investigations/2014/09/03/ats-fights-brooksville-citizen-referendum-on-red-light-cameras/15013135/ (http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/investigations/2014/09/03/ats-fights-brooksville-citizen-referendum-on-red-light-cameras/15013135/)
Quote from: Klackamas on September 06, 2014, 11:52:49 AM
Red light camera industry fights citizen vote
Noah Pransky, WTSP 9:05 a.m. EDT September 4, 2014
BROOKSVILLE, Florida - You could call it a love triangle, except there is no love lost between the three parties fighting over red light cameras in one of Florida's smallest cities.
Florida's leading red light camera-provider American Traffic Solutions confirms to 10 Investigates Wednesday that it has joined the fight to prevent a citizen-backed referendum on red light cameras from ever reaching a ballot. The city is also fighting the referendum on grounds that it infringes upon city council's power.
However, the enemy of the city's enemy is not its friend in this case; the city is objecting to the intervention from the industry-backed group.
As previously reported by 10 Investigates, Tampa law firm Carlton Fields Jorden Burt incorporated a group last week called "Keep Florida Roads Safe," and immediately filed lawsuits to prevent voters from having a say on red light cameras (RLC). The firm has represented ATS before, but would not reveal if it formed the new group on behalf of ATS.
http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/investigations/2014/09/03/ats-fights-brooksville-citizen-referendum-on-red-light-cameras/15013135/ (http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/investigations/2014/09/03/ats-fights-brooksville-citizen-referendum-on-red-light-cameras/15013135/)
Yet another example of "Follow The Money".
Anyone who thinks a third party selling a red light camera service is interested in promoting traffic safety is living in La La land.
Quote from: CLKid on September 06, 2014, 02:26:07 PM
Anyone who thinks a third party selling a red light camera service is interested in promoting traffic safety is living in La La land.
+1000
Quote from: Klackamas on September 06, 2014, 11:52:49 AM
The city is also fighting the referendum on grounds that it infringes upon city council's power.
Excuse me? They work for the people. If the people want something then the only answer is yes (within reason of course) or get the fuck out.
No, that is no way to run a government. I agree with the people here, but we elect people to make these choices for us for good reason.
Quote from: Rupert on September 08, 2014, 09:51:23 AM
No, that is no way to run a government. I agree with the people here, but we elect people to make these choices for us for good reason.
because the majority of times we the people are dummies. When they aren't then the reps need to shut up
Quote from: Rupert on September 08, 2014, 09:51:23 AM
No, that is no way to run a government. I agree with the people here, but we elect people to make these choices for us for good reason.
Be ause they're smarter than us and we need someone to take care of us?
Quote from: Soup DeVille on September 26, 2014, 04:08:42 PM
Be ause they're smarter than us and we need someone to take care of us?
Because WtP don't have the time digest all the minutia to cast votes on all the issues and the system to support a true democracy would be simply ginormous.
In reality with a moral Constitutional government it wouldn't matter so much as there would be relatively little to vote on.
Quote from: Soup DeVille on September 26, 2014, 04:08:42 PM
Be ause they're smarter than us and we need someone to take care of us?
Well, it's kind of a harder argument to make these days, isn't it?
Not a red-light camera, but a friend's father has been getting a ticket and late charges for failure to pay because his plate was photographed not paying a toll. It wasn't him and the state has repeatedly refused to believe the family side of the story. The ticket was last year. The father died nine years ago. Today, the state finally figured out it was a Florida plate and not an NC plate they photographed.
They dismissed the ticket, but they still want the late charges.
lolz :facepalm:
Quote from: JWC on November 24, 2014, 11:32:11 AM
Not a red-light camera, but a friend's father has been getting a ticket and late charges for failure to pay because his plate was photographed not paying a toll. It wasn't him and the state has repeatedly refused to believe the family side of the story. The ticket was last year. The father died nine years ago. Today, the state finally figured out it was a Florida plate and not an NC plate they photographed.
They dismissed the ticket, but they still want the late charges.
Crooks in power