Los Angeles sees sharp rise in red-light camera revenue

Los Angeles sees sharp rise in red-light camera revenue
Since late '07, monthly income grew from about $200,000 to about
$400,000, according to estimates. Last year, the city more than
doubled the fines it charges for violations.

By Rich Connell

December 24, 2009

As Los Angeles City Hall has struggled against a sea of red ink, one
financial bright spot through the long recession has been the Police
Department's red-light camera program, which has seen a sharp rise in
revenue, according to court data obtained by The Times.

From late 2007 to late 2009, monthly revenue from cameras, now
operating at 32 city intersections, has nearly doubled from about
$200,000 per month to about $400,000, according to estimates prepared
by the Los Angeles County Superior Court, which processes ticket
payments.

The city's income now far exceeds that of Culver City and the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority, both of which had often
eclipsed Los Angeles in photo enforcement income, records show.

Los Angeles officials insist the program is intended to reduce
accidents and save lives, although red-light camera critics contend
cities are chiefly interested in raking in money from automated
systems that snag violators 24 hours a day.

The improved financial performance of Los Angeles' program, one of the
largest in the nation, appears to be the result of changes in program
administration, not a sharp spike in violations processed through the
courts, according to the records.

Last year, the city more than doubled the amount charged for most of
its red-light camera tickets.

The change, based on a legal recommendation from the city attorney,
affects thousands of motorists each year who make rolling right turns
against red lights -- known as "California stops." According to Los
Angeles Police Department estimates provided to The Times last year,
about eight in 10 photo tickets were issued for right turns, which
some experts say are less likely to result in serious accidents.

Most California cities had long treated right-turn infractions the
same as running straight through red lights. Before the change, Los
Angeles issued rolling right-turn tickets under a vehicle code section
with a much lower fine.

When Los Angeles brought its fines in line with those in other cities,
right-turn ticket penalties increased from $156 to $381. The city's
share of each ticket payment increased from $58 to nearly $150, where
it remains today.

The city also brought additional cameras online last year and has been
working in recent months with the vendor to improve the system's
operation, said LAPD Lt. Ron Katona. The cameras now routinely meet
city performance standards, which call for 80% of violations
photographed by the system to be of prosecutable quality, Katona said.

The bulk of the cash collected from red-light violations, whether
caught on camera or issued by patrol officers, goes to state and
county programs.

With the most recent increases, red-light ticket penalties in Los
Angeles County reached an average of $446 in August -- or about $500
when drivers elect to also go through traffic school so their
violations aren't reported to insurance carriers.

"They're pricing themselves to the point the average citizen can't
afford it," said Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, a one-time
LAPD traffic cop. "They say the punishment must fit the crime."

Zine is exploring ways to bring down the fines on red-light camera and
other high-cost moving violations, possibly by treating them as city
administrative infractions, similar to parking violations. He noted
that courts are overloaded and cutting back services.

The state's share of the ticket revenue would be cut back under his
plan, Zine acknowledged. But there might be court system savings by
moving adjudication of some violations to the city, he said.

Some violators would still get points on their driving record, he
said, but "we may be able to save [them] a lot of money." On Zine's
motion, the city also has ordered a detailed review of the effect red-
light cameras have had on accident rates.

As early as next month, the Los Angeles Police Commission is expected
to consider whether the current camera vendor's contract should be
extended and/or reassigned.

The initial contractor, Nestor Traffic Systems, recently went into
receivership and was taken over by a competitor, American Traffic
Solutions.

The commission is also expected to begin the process of seeking new
bidders for the city's photo enforcement program, which based on past
experience could set off intense lobbying by top red-light camera
providers. The current contract expires in April 2011, at the latest.

Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times
-----

- gpsman

On Fri, 25 Dec 2009 06:59:54 -0800 (PST), gpsman wrote:

> Los Angeles sees sharp rise in red-light camera revenue
> Since late '07, monthly income grew from about $200,000 to about
> $400,000, according to estimates. Last year, the city more than
> doubled the fines it charges for violations.
>
> By Rich Connell
>


Somebody should challenge this in court. $381 for not making a proper stop
at a light is unconstitutional. "Excessive fines not to be posted". From
what I've seen on the state's schedule of fines, this fine by the city is
outrageously high. As most state fines are under $150, I think.

The raise of the price tag only goes to prove that the city is using the
RLC's for one purpose, PROFIT.

http://www.saccourt.ca.gov/traffic/fine-breakdown.aspx

This page shows the costs as set by the state. IMO, one of the greediest
and most excessive schedules I've seen yet.

Now if you think paying such a high price tag for an RLC ticket is bad,
take a look at what it's gonna cost you for having illegally parked in a
handicap parking space.

THAT, is excessive to say the least.

gpsman > wrote in news:909b7d55-6df6-4c74-b31e-
:

> Los Angeles sees sharp rise in red-light camera revenue
> Since late '07, monthly income grew from about $200,000 to about
> $400,000, according to estimates. Last year, the city more than
> doubled the fines it charges for violations.
>

good. Now they can lower my taxes. Make the criminals pay, not us LACs.

On Fri, 25 Dec 2009 10:49:17 -0700, richard >
wrote:

>
>The raise of the price tag only goes to prove that the city is using the
>RLC's for one purpose, PROFIT.

Of course it about the Benjamins. If traffic enforcement were about
safety, 10 days in jail would speak louder than a monetary fine.

--
necromancer - ECHM

SFB spewed:

>good. Now they can lower my taxes.

You don't have a pot to **** in, let alone pay any meaningful amount
of taxes, you american (sic) welfare queen.

> Make the criminals pay,

Again wha are you going to pay with. Your life would be fine by me.

>not us LACs.

You are not a, "LAC," (sic) you highway psychopath.
--
"Oh yeah. Well i've gone 3 1/2 years without a fatal crash
so i must be doing something right."

--Laura Bush murdered her boyfriend/laura bush - VEHICULAR HOMICIDE/
Speeders And Drunk Drivers Are Murderers (SADDAM), 9/24/2006

Ref: http://tinyurl.com/qdotr
Msg ID:

On 2009-12-25 13:33:24 -0500, necromancer - ECHM
> said:

> SFB spewed:
>
>> good. Now they can lower my taxes.
>
> You don't have a pot to **** in, let alone pay any meaningful amount
> of taxes, you american (sic) welfare queen.
>
>> Make the criminals pay,
>
> Again wha are you going to pay with. Your life would be fine by me.
>
>> not us LACs.
>
> You are not a, "LAC," (sic) you highway psychopath.

Their a lib state, don't ever think fer a minute yer taxes will ever go down!
Hey CALIFORNIA
Hows it feel to having a growing population of illegals and a shrinking
population of taxpayers!
Seems taxes will be going up yet again
Democraponomics at work!
hahahahahahahahahahah