Wednesday, April 23, 2008
News / Clout City Smile for the camera!
Posted by Mick Dumke on 04.23.08 at 02:46 PM
Chicago aldermen are thrilled with the way traffic cameras have helped the city nab drivers who blow off red lights over the last few years--while bringing in more than $70 million for the city's always inadequate coffers. They're so happy about it that they'd like to start nailing speeders the same way.
But the Illinois General Assembly keeps saying no.
"There's a lot of dysfunctional things going on in Springfield, and this is just one of them," state senator John Cullerton told a joint meeting of the City Council's transportation and finance committees Wednesday.
The committees gathered to pass a resolution urging state lawmakers to change the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow Chicago to use "radar cameras" to bust speeding drivers. Three years ago the full City Council passed an ordinance authorizing the city to start installing the cameras, but because the state vehicle code prohibits their use outside of highway construction areas, they can't be set up in city neighborhoods until the General Assembly does a little rewriting.
Cullerton, the chief proponent of the idea in Springfield, explained that the proposed amendment was killed in 2005 and again just a couple of weeks ago by legislators who have an Orwellian aversion to introducing more cameras in law enforcement. "They fear Big Brother," he said.
Finance committee chairman Ed Burke appeared outraged and frustrated by this--thousands of deaths a year are caused by speeding; who on earth would be against making the roads safer? "I can't believe there would be opposition if this was limited to school zones, parks, et cetera," he said. "It just doesn't make sense."
Cullerton then admitted libertarian principles weren't the only things motivating the opposition.
"There's a suspicion it's not about the safety--it's about the money," Cullerton said. "And that the city of Chicago, or other cities, would falsely accuse people of speeding just so you can get more money."
This brought on several long seconds of silence. Why would anyone think that?
A few minutes later, Third Ward alderman Pat Dowell asked Cullerton about the costs of installing radar cameras. "The beauty of this is that the city doesn't have to put up any public money--that's where the private sector comes in," he said. Camera companies "put the equipment in and they're paid off over time from fines that are collected, and the city is helped by not having to go ahead and raise property taxes."
Comments (14)
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This just proves my point America in general and Chicago in specific has become a Fascist state. The private sector giving equipment to Government to spy on citizens.Most people are unaware the pole mounted cameras used to fight crime installed by Daley can see through frame houses. There are cameras that can see through brick ,but are more expensive.
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Next time ask them about the new stree-sweeper mounted cameras that are coming soon to catch people PARKED illegally. They're equipped, I believe, with a way to send the info directly to the Department of Revenue.
Thousands of deaths a year are caused by speeding? Cite your source, Alderman Burke, and show me some evidence. Apparently you've not drive through the city in a while, because otherwise you'd know that perpetually gridlocked streets make speeding a virtual impossibility. Aldercreature Burke is the same person who conceded, on the record, that the red-light cameras are primarily about revenue, not safety.
Burke would not know about driving in the city because he has a city police detail assigned to him 24/7 that chauffers him around at a cost of over $1,000,000 in salary and overtime.
MORE cameras??!! Forget it! FINALLY something sensible in Springfield...saying NO to this REVENUE tool. They don't give a godamn about "safety" The only thing the politicians give a damn about is getting more and more and more of our money.
This is inaccurate. They make mistakes. It is about making money. We don't want a facist or totalitarian state.
Alderman Burke should have his chaffeurs, city paid for cars, drivers, and chicago police officer bodyguards taken away and get in the real world. The comment about not raising property taxes is preposterously funny. What a joke and lie. Daley is nickle and diming this city to death
This is BS. I swear some of those lights with cameras have yellows that are a split second.
Daley in vain tried to get the State legistature to pass a Draconian gun bill,that would have criminalize 3/4 of Chicagoans,whom own weapons for self Defense. Disarming honest citizens is one of the first steps taken a Fascist government. Criminal have no problem acquiring weapons.
We'd maybe deter even more crime if we installed some of those cameras on the fifth floor.
Cameras in Mayor Daley's office. Cameras on every time Victor Reyes enters the building or calls are taped. Cameras in the procurement department. Now that would stop crime and save money
Can you imagine Tim Mitchell with the power to camera? They should put camera in Tim Mitchell's office--if there is a camera that wide. But they would be disgusted on a number of levels to what they sam Slim Tim doing. don't let anyone drown in water
