Illinois Lawmakers stop red-light camera bill passage
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 15 years
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FYI.
Lawmakers stop red-light camera bill passage
Senators debated over the ‘Big Brother’ tactics of the proposed plan.
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By Aaron Chambers
RRSTAR.COM
Posted May 27, 2008 @ 09:04 PM
Last update May 27, 2008 @ 09:19 PM
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SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers on Tuesday rejected Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey’s plan for red-light cameras at intersections after several senators from both parties and from around Illinois derided what they called a government money grab and “Big Brother” intrusion.
“It’s anti-American,” said Sen. Rickey Hendon, D-Chicago. “It’s against our rights as American citizens to live free. It’s against the Constitution of the United States.”
Just 26 senators supported the plan — four fewer votes than necessary for passage — while 24 opposed it. Sen. John Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat who sponsored the plan, said he was weighing whether to ask later this week for another vote.
Money versus safety
Critics ranging from the GOP leader to a downstate Democrat and suburban Republican said cities with red-light cameras are more interested in generating ticket revenue than protecting the public and that those governments are compromising personal privacy.
“In some years to come, when there are cameras everywhere, at every intersection, in every shopping mall and on every neighborhood corner, out in front of every school, we’ll be at a point where many in our society will look at that moment in time and say, ‘How the heck did we ever get to this?’ ” said Sen. Dan Cronin, R-Elmhurst.
Red-light cameras are already allowed under Illinois law, but only in Cook and seven other counties, all near Chicago and St. Louis. Using the technology, cities snap photos of vehicles cruising through red lights and then mail tickets to the owners of those vehicles.
Under the measure voted down Tuesday, Winnebago and five downstate counties would join that list. Morrissey’s administration insisted it wanted red-light cameras to discourage accidents at busy intersections and that money raised would cover the cost of the program and not much more.
City Legal Director Patrick Hayes said the administration’s next move on red-light cameras would be “up to our aldermen.”
“The aldermen signed off on our legislative initiatives for the last few years,” Hayes said. “This has been in our package the last few years and the aldermen have said it’s a good idea to bring forward.”
Local votes
Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, had initially opposed the plan and he amended the bill to put restrictions on a city’s ability to implement the cameras. The city would first need to spend six months studying accident rates at intersections, under his amendment. It also would need to install strobe lights in the red lenses at intersections, leaving them there for at least three months in an attempt to decrease accident rates without the aid of red-light cameras.
On Tuesday, Syverson voted for the bill as amended. Sen. Brad Burzynski, R-Clare, and Sen. Tim Bivins, a Dixon Republican representing western Winnebago County, opposed it.
Rep. Chuck Jefferson, D-Rockford, sponsored the plan in the House, which previously approved it with a 65-39 vote. Cullerton said during debate that Jefferson had not talked to him about the plan, though it ranked high on Morrissey’s legislative agenda.
Jefferson could not be reached for comment.
Very good...
I hope they do that with other jurisdiction.
Red light camera
I wish they would do that in Tennessee!
Nice to read..
Nice to read about good info here and there.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/1095739,CST-N...
SPRINGFIELD | Gov hopes to raise millions to fight crime by putting cameras on interstates
August 7, 2008
BY FRANK MAIN Crime Reporter/fmain@suntimes.com
To make good on his offer to help Chicago combat violence, Gov. Blagojevich envisions putting speed cameras on interstates across Illinois -- and using the revenue to form an "elite tactical team" that would operate in Chicago and other cities.
The idea is in its infancy, with no budget and no timetable...........
There are several interesting forum replys on the Chicago Sun Times web site.
Jihad THIS!! Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
WOW!
This is hard to believe!
Another Blago stunt
Our universally despised govenor throws out those kind of ideas all the time to grab headlines. All bark, no bite.
Nuvi 680, Magellan 300
Nice
I wish they would do this for all the States...
Other Illinois Areas
I can see them installing speed camera's along the I-55 and I-57 corridor's. Both of those are known (allegedly) to have speed traps - south of I-80.
I have travelled on both of them, and while I have not been stopped, I have seen more than a few others being stopped.
I have a neighbor that complained because he got multiple tickets there once. One for speeding there. He saw the trooper, standing on the overpass, and knew that he was calling a half mile down the road, where they would then step out and motion him over.
His second ticket? Illinois, as in many other states have laws stating to slow down or move to the left lane for emergency vehicles.
He knew from the trooper standing back on that overpass that he'd been caught. So, he slowed down, and got in the right lane to be pulled over. The troopers standing next to the road to motion him over saw him come into the close lane, and gave him a ticket for not yeilding to a stopped emergency vehicle. He tried to explain that he saw the first trooper, knew he was caught, so pulled over. They didn't buy it - neither did the judge when he had to go back for a mandatory court appearance. As for the Slowing down or pulling over - he chose slow down. Didn't help.
And now, back to your regularly scheduled forum - already in progress . . .
Speed "traps"
I can see them installing speed camera's along the I-55 and I-57 corridor's. Both of those are known (allegedly) to have speed traps - south of I-80.
Illinois is Billions of dollars in the red.
They could make that up and more if they would do some serious speed "enforcement" NORTH of I-80.
Magellan Maestro 4250// MIO C310X
Speed "Traps"
I can see them installing speed camera's along the I-55 and I-57 corridor's. Both of those are known (allegedly) to have speed traps - south of I-80.
Illinois is Billions of dollars in the red.
They could make that up and more if they would do some serious speed "enforcement" NORTH of I-80.
Yes - they could at least make a big dent in it. I see every day cars flying past as if I were standing still - and I don't necessarily keep exactly to the speed limit. Just yesterday, heading down IL-53 from Rand Road, I was going sixty, and was passed by an Illinois State Trooper. I got up to 65 and he was pulling away. The speeed limit on that stretch is 55. By the time I got to Palatine Rd, he was way in front of me. By the time I hit Euclid - he was long out of sight.
Even at that speed, he was acting as the interstate pace car, keeping everyone else behind him...
And now, back to your regularly scheduled forum - already in progress . . .
Bolingbrook Illinois
We has them then the mayor got sooo much hate mail and phone calls that they took all of them down. Now thats what I call progress
$$ vs. insurance
I'm glad they didn't have cameras installed when I lived in Winnebago County.
After moving to AZ, the red light cameras not only get you fined, but also produce points on your license by being classified as a moving violation, so your insurance goes up, too. My wife got a ticket turning right at a red light in Chicago when she didn't see the posted sign prohibiting it and it didn't go on her license. At least the violation in IL is only a fine. I know, small consulation....
Nuvi 2597 / Nuvi 2595 / Nuvi 680 / Nuvi 650 "Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment."
Red light camera in Lynnwood, WA
They got red light camera all the corner in Lynnwood and lots more in Seattle, Washington. Mainly for revenue than safety, that's what I read on Seattle Times.
Speed traps
Just yesterday, heading down IL-53 from Rand Road, I was going sixty, and was passed by an Illinois State Trooper. I got up to 65 and he was pulling away. The speed limit on that stretch is 55. By the time I got to Palatine Rd, he was way in front of me. By the time I hit Euclid - he was long out of sight.
This is my old stomping grounds, I watch them build the highway and Woodfield Mall. In growing up in the Chicago area, you learn to be aggressive in your driving.
Allan Barnett - Garmin nüvi 885T/765T/Pharos GPS (bluetooth) w/MS Maps on PPC
Moving violation or "parking" violation?
I'm glad they didn't have cameras installed when I lived in Winnebago County.
After moving to AZ, the red light cameras not only get you fined, but also produce points on your license by being classified as a moving violation, so your insurance goes up, too. My wife got a ticket turning right at a red light in Chicago when she didn't see the posted sign prohibiting it and it didn't go on her license. At least the violation in IL is only a fine. I know, small consulation....
In speaking with one officer in Illinois - he said that they cannot ticket as a moving violation because in court they would not hold up, because the photo is a static photo.
Now - that said - I am seeing more information that some camera's will take video as well as snapshots - so that might muddy the waters again as to whether they can legally give moving violations or not...
And now, back to your regularly scheduled forum - already in progress . . .
Blago Wants Mo' Money
In speaking with one officer in Illinois - he said that they cannot ticket as a moving violation because in court they would not hold up, because the photo is a static photo.
Well, that certainly sounds like a push for additional revenue! That has nothing to do with safety, only dollars. No wonder Blago loves it!
Nuvi 2597 / Nuvi 2595 / Nuvi 680 / Nuvi 650 "Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment."