So long, red light cameras?

Lacey, other cities

By Christian Hill | The Olympian • Published October 31, 2008

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LACEY – Mayor Graeme Sackrison said Thursday that "the odds tip toward ending" Lacey's use of cameras to catch red-light runners if Washington voters approve Initiative 985 in Tuesday's election.

The intent of the initiative is to steer money from violations caught on cameras installed statewide to help pay for projects to reduce traffic congestion on busy roads and highways. If the initiative succeeds, Lacey no longer will be able to benefit financially from using the cameras.

The city pays American Traffic Solutions $9,200 a month for the cameras. The city keeps any ticket revenue left over after it pays the monthly cost and any unpaid balances from previous months.

"I would say the odds tip toward ending (the program) if I-985 passes, but we haven't made that decision," Sackrison said.

It's difficult for cities to pay for the cameras out of their general funds with less property- and sales-tax revenue coming in because of the weak economy, Sackrison said.

Fifteen other Washington cities have or will start the red-light-camera programs, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Tim Eyman, the initiative's author, told The News Tribune of Tacoma that I-985 removes "the profit motive" for cities to put up the cameras, and cities are revealing their true motive by considering ending the programs if the initiative passes.

"I have a problem with them saying it has to do with safety when in fact they're doing it for the money," Eyman told the newspaper. "Our initiative makes safety the sole motivation."

Sackrison countered that if that were true, Eyman would have drafted the initiative to allow cities to recoup enough money from the cameras to pay for their operation — just not to generate additional revenue.

"This seems to be a sort of backhanded way to get rid of red-light cameras," he said.

City officials said their primary motive in starting the camera program was to reduce the number of collisions caused by drivers who run red lights. The city hasn't compiled data to determine whether the use of the cameras has reduced the number of collisions at the intersection.