Lawmakers voted down a measure Tuesday that would have banned the controversial use of cameras in catching red-light runners and speeders.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, told the Senate Transportation Committee at a hearing on his Senate Bill 50 that hard analysis trumps anecdotal claims from law enforcement agencies and municipalities that the cameras serve as a public-safety tool.
Renfroe cited an audit by the City and County of Denver concluding that the cameras amounted to a “money maker” that only purports to serve safety.
“When you look at the camera by itself its not a safety issue, it’s a revenue issue,” said Renfroe.
Critics of the cameras note that millions of dollars are at stake; legislative staffers calculated that SB 50 would result in $13.2 million in lost revenue that is derived from five of the nine cities in Colorado that utilize photo radar and red-light cameras.
The cameras have been a source of much public debate, particularly in Denver, where the the city’s audit, as well as critical local news coverage and public push-back were credited with prompting the City Council to ease up on fines generated by the cameras. When Renfroe introduced his bill earlier this year, he said word of the proposal went viral in no time and drew overwhelming support via droves of email.
Yet, law-enforcement officials told the committee that legitimate safety concerns drive use of the cameras. And yet others said the issue should be left to the discretion of local governments.
“Because of my belief in local control, I cannot support this bill,” said Sen. Steve King, R- Grand Junction. “The beauty of local control, and the beauty of being responsive to your citizenry–that’s what should happen in elections.”
Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village, said personal responsibility is at the heart of the issue.
“There are times when excessive speeds are a risk to public health and safety,” said Schwartz. “To cut this entirely, I can’t live with that. People need to be woken up to the fact that lives are at stake.”
Mark Radtke, of the Colorado Municipal League said it all comes down to obeying traffic laws.
“Nobody would be issued a ticket if they didn’t run a red light or weren’t speeding,” said Radtke. “It’s a safety issue, not a revenue issue, or you would see these cameras everywhere.”
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