Update to Last Week’s Post Re: Paying California’s Budget with More Speeding Tickets

Thankfully, according to the Oakland Tribune, the Governor’s plan to catch speeders with cameras is an uphill battle. Here is a quote from the article published January 20th, 2010:

There are just a few problems with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to help fill his budget hole by retooling red-light cameras to catch people speeding through intersections.

One, it’s not allowed under current law. Two, police agencies have opposed it in the past. And three, it might completely neglect the places where speed enforcement is needed most.

A week after Schwarzenegger made his red-light proposal in his 2010-2011 budget, reaction is mostly negative to the notion that a tactic used in Arizona, Washington and Oregon to enhance driver safety should be employed in California to make money.

“This proposal is not a good one because it’s all about dollars,” said Jim Helmer, the recently retired head of the San Jose Department of Transportation, which operated a photo radar program from 1996 until 2007, when the district attorney’s office said the practice had to stop.

A Santa Clara County judge ruled in 2004 that under existing law, only a police officer could issue a speeding ticket. Unless new legislation is proposed and passed, the effort to use speed cameras to raise more than $338 million a year would be doomed.

“I expect there will be legislation introduced if the governor wants it,” said Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo. “But there are so many problems. Do I think this would pass? No.”

Bills have been proposed twice in the Legislature to allow cameras to catch speeders, but both have failed to get out of committee.”

We will keep you posted as more news emerges about this topic.