The first cameras were installed in 2004, so this year marks the third year that the program has been in operation. If yesterday was any indication, the public is not only rejecting the scam-era system and its inherent injustices, there's growing anger and resentment towards the program. In political and media circles, this story could be identified as one that has got "legs."
Yesterday, the Tribune led with a front page article entitled "Plate-Cover Crackdown." In it, the Tribune reporter Michael Gisick asked the question "are the devices really illegal?" The answer from city attorney Greg Wheeler was "we don't know... it hasn't been tested."
The Trib article seemed to trigger KKOB AM's afternoon drive time talk-show host Jim Villanucci. He spent the majority of his show talking about the plate cover enforcement and the underlying scam-era system noting that (among other things) traffic light timing is more effective at preventing intersection accidents than the photo enforcement scam-eras. In addition Mr. Villanucci read statistics that came from APD that showed an increase in overall accidents at photo enforced intersections in their first full year of operation.
Richard Edes, Villanuci's on-air sidekick and show producer, pointed out something that we've been saying for months... police officer's almost universally are opposed to the scam-eras. After 3 hours, the general consensus of both callers and hosts was that the system was about money and not safety.
Further underscoring Mr. Villanucci's argument that the scam-eras are about money and that yellow light timing has an impact on both accidents and revenue, theNewspaper.com is reporting (hat tip NewMexiKen):
Mesa [Arizona] has struggled with earning a significant profit from its program since November 2000 when the city increased the duration of the yellow warning signals at left-turn intersections from 3.0 to 4.0 seconds -- in violation of a Lockheed Martin IMS contract stipulation that mandated no timing improvements be made. As a result, red light violations dropped 72 percent at those intersections and never returned. The cameras lost significant amounts of money.Today the Tribune is back at it again with a story about a class action lawsuit that aims to put an end to the scam-eras and force the city to refund all of the money collected from scam-era victims.
All of this activity in just a 24 hour period. How long will it take for the council and the Almighty Marty to get the point that for a whole host of reasons people don't like the scam-era system? Just in case you've forgotten the system's short comings, here's a partial list:The lawsuit argues that the camera program conflicts with established state traffic law and sets up an illegitimate, quasi-legal hearing process for people who challenge their tickets.
"They've essentially set up a parallel court that has no legal standing," Sandoval said.
- Due Process (nonexistent)
- Accuracy (KOAT Employee Gary Williams pointed out the system's flaws.)
- Scam-eras collect money - not about public safety
- Revenue based enforcement (500 citations for plate-covers that aren't even illegal!)
- Most police officers hate the system
----- Eye Alert -----
Our Eyes are telling us that 770KKOB AM is promoting Bob Clark's morning show for Wednesday morning. Apparently, Mr. Clark's topic will be the red light scam-eras.
9 comments:
By the way Dave, Craig, or James, defenders of this sham, 'The Eye' doesn't lie. City Hall is just upset that the truth of the matter got out. So stick your "Lie on Albq." phrase to yourselves. What? Afraid your kickback money will go away?
Maybe you'll have to go to the bank and pony up the refunds that are do the public when this is all said and done. Here's sticking it to you rip off artists and cowards who honor the 'Almighty one' because your appointments(jobs) depend on it. I think there's another phrase for it - suck ups.
Or, does this all give new meaning to the word 'Cluster'
While, as usual, its been amateur hour with the administration and department's deployment of these things the fact remains that drivers in this city simply just suck.
With respect to plate covers, the only issue I see are the one's that are "prismed" so that you can't read the plate from an angle...that's bullshit and operators with those covers should be ticketed.
You TOO are a 'Feeble F_ _k About"
Stay home, don't come out. Don't spout anymore of your winnie opinions you sheep, you wimp.
If you had to make a living driving around these streets all day, you might have a different opinion. Instead you are probably retired and go out once a day at 3pm for dinner at Furr's and piss yourself all the way back home.
Alert! Alert!
Just been told that all city directors have been instructed to have their employees log on and vote 'Approve' on the way Marty is doing his job on the poll listed to the right.
Alert ! Alert ! ??? Oh brother...What is this ? an episode of Lost in Space? Get a Life........
Oh yeah, this web site lies. Right.
Who's lying? City Hall is just pissed not about the truth, but that it was leaked out. Asshole, you're in such denial.You're just another leach on the taxpayers tit. Of course your going to side with who ever pays your salary, even if you know it's wrong and immoral. Can you look in the mirror? Like what you see? Start looking for another scam(job).
Judge Huling is the only one who has the stones to take this fraud on.
She's Albuquerque's new found hero. You go girl.
Go Judge Huling - I await my check in the mail!!! :)
Let's not forget Jim Villanucci for bringing this to light on his radio show and for performing a great public service. That's one media source that hasn't been bought or intimidated by the Gestapo thugs downtown.
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