The 5th floor has swung into high gear. According to our Eyes the boys upstairs have started their own little campaign to keep the scam-era money flowing; a reaction to Councilor Winter's planned scam-era moratorium that we told you about yesterday (read it here).
The campaign kick-off was actually yesterday as Chief Schultz made the media rounds to defend the scam-eras. Today our Eyes tell us that the 5th floor is hitting the phones to try and contact friends, relatives, and supporters of Marty's scam-era program in order to get them to call or email the council and we presume show up at Monday's council meeting.
This isn't the first time that the 5th floor has campaigned for this scam. Back in March, DC Callaway sent out a memo mandating attendance at Councilor Winter's red light camera town hall (read it here). They ran point on packing the town hall and had a large number of uniformed officers (high ranking or wanna be high ranking) in attendance. Despite the APD campaign, the town hall was filled with a large number of angry citizens voicing complaints that even some of the supporters echoed (read it here).
Our Eyes tell us that the campaign has a couple of objectives. Obviously, the first objective is to keep the moolah rolling in. The second is to provide cover for the Almighty Alcalde. You see the folks over at the Chavez senate campaign have rightly determined that Marty's red light scam has the potential to put a STOP to his senatorial aspirations. Consequently, the 5th floor is trying to keep Marty out of this whole affair. That's where the scapegoat... uh, chief comes in.
At least until Monday's council meeting, the most dangerous place in Albuquerque will be between a reporter and Chief Schultz as The Almighty One attempts to make Schultz the poster boy for the red light scam-era program. Our suggestion is... don't buy it. Schultz may be at least partially responsible for bringing this scam to Albuquerque from Scottsdale, but ultimately the man in charge is none other than the loser of the Democratic senatorial primary - Martin J. Chavez.
Chief Schultz is just the muscle behind the racket. Marty owns this one and no amount of media spin will change the fact that he's sold his soul to RedFlex for a $5.8 MILLION city profit and $10.6 MILLION in ill-gotten gain.
40 comments:
Did you see Schultz make a fool of himself last night. He did not know what to say when they asked him for data showing that the red light camera's reduce accidents.
You know why, because there is no such data. The camera's don't reduse accidents, and in some cases cause more accidents, as people hurry to stop!
I know, as I have seen APD's data and was there whe they tried to doctor it up!
Guess what, they will try ad fool the public again, by playing with the numbers.
Be ready media, as Schultz and crew try to fool you again!
Cue anonymous Marty supporter:
Schultz said the one logical thing about the cameras. He said they change driving habits, and that in itself is true.
Unfortunately it has been done in a way that bypasses due process and in a manner that invalidates officer's discretion. Here's a thought, instead of kangaroo court hearings how about we swear in a few retired cops as magistrates and hold these hearings "on the record"? Then a few miscreants would get fined, in a true court of record, and many of these others with valid defenses would be off the hook. This whole program is such a slippery slope of quasi-criminal B.S. that it's troubling to anyone with a working knowledge of the constitution (why Marty has no problem with it). It's one thing to hold a terrorist without due process, it's quite another thing to act in the same manner and penalize grandma on the way home from bingo, who manages to get caught up in the intersection or drives thru it at 5 MPH over the limit trying to keep up with the flow of traffic.
This whole thing is one big mess, and it needs to go away.
I think Ray Schultz and Marty Chavez should go away with it!
It really is too bad that the Red Light Camera System was introduced to make the 11th floor money and not protect the Citizens of Albuquuerque!
As a tax paying citizen, I feel these politicians should be held accountable for their actions.
Brad Winter, we support your efforts to put a stop to this scam!
RICO!
Not all of us support Brad. I support the Mayor and the Red Light Camera Program. I believe it has changed peoples driving habits for the better. I vote to keep the cameras....
As is? Really?
I think it's changed folks driving habits for the better too, but the profit motive, lack of driver ID and lack of due process really bothers me.
If it's all about safety (which it's not), get a pic of the license, a pic of the driver and put it in Metro court as a traffic violation at the same fine as speeding or red-light running.
There's not much city profit in that, though.
This current version stinks of scam and I'm not willing to make the trade-off for the benefits.
Sorry to hear you are. I think we deserve better.
Well put.
I watched three cars go through a red light at the intersection of Montano/Coors today, and not one of them got "flashed". Glad to see the cameras work so well.
Don't want to participate? Don't run the red light...Seems pretty simple.
How about the mayor and the Police Chief focusing on getting more Police Officers on the department and patrolling the streets. They play the numbers game for so long. Albuquerque needs 1500 Officers on the streets, not behind desks or in what they call specialized units....1500 patroling the streets (in uniform and police cars). If this means increasing the salary of police officers to attract more applicants then so be it. The safety of the community, to include enforcement of traffic laws, should be the priority. Wrapping government vehicles, expanding the bio-park, funding the rail runner are mute points if citizens are afraid to leave their residences because of the high crime rate and ridiculously low number of officers on constant patrol.
If you are afraid to leave your house then you need to stay there, change your diaper & go back to bed, the sky is falling.
Not all of us support Brad. I support the Mayor and the Red Light Camera Program. I believe it has changed peoples driving habits for the better. I vote to keep the cameras....
Albuquerque needs 1500 Officers on the streets............
Hell, there aren't enough donut shops to accomodate that many cops in this town. They will begin to turn on each other. Oh, that's right, they already do....
Don't want to participate? Don't run the red light...Seems pretty simple.
In the past year marty and company,schultz have been caugt by THE EYE : shorting yellow lights, changing accident location ( COOKING THE BOOKS ),deverting funds to cover shortfall in city budget,martyroo court and the list(corruption ) is endless on the backs of you and me and our famlies. Brad Winter is attempting to put a stop to this. We need to all show up to support him, THIS MEANS YOU ! The City Council needs to be reminded they work for us. They will do our will or we will replace them. marty and ray are finished. YOU LIE BY REDFLEX YOU DIE BY REDFLEX!
Hear hear, Marty and company must go!
Esspecially that political hack, APD traitor, Lawerence Torrez. Torrez made money off the backs of real APD cops!
I say keep the cameras up. It's going to be the downfall of Martys run for Senate. Like they say "He will get over it".
Hell, there aren't enough donut shops to accomodate that many cops in this town.
Hell, there aren't any donut shops west of the river. I'm surprised anyone would work the Westside Command. Maybe our recruiting problems aren't about the money after all. Any chance of freeing up some of that quarter cent public safety funds for some donut shops?
How about an FOIA request?
What is odd about the program was a selling point that it freed officers up to take calls since they weren't tied up at those intersections. Now they say that the traffic unit wrote as many cites as ever.... so shouldnt they maybe be jumping a few calls for service w/that free time instead of just doubling the amount of cites written in the city? If they did that there would appear to be more officers taking calls and thus an easing of the manpower crunch? Just thinking...
marty the tiny taco fears the red light repercussions for certain - can't wait for the eye to publish the Redlfex contract. That's going wake up a few voters, no matter if droopy jowls deputy dawg shultz is at the council meeting with his uniform full of boy scout merit badges or not; it's killed others' bids for the senate-it'll kill little marty's as well, just like Rhode Island Mayor Stephen Laffey who lost his bid for the Republican US Senate nomination last year in part because of his support for speed cameras." - read more here : http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/20/2093.asp
Read up y'all and see the light-http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs.asp
In the man time if you get a ticket, get a lawyer, show up, force continuances and make them earn every dime of the fine, there's nothing to fear from some APD lackey or a halfwit city attorney in a cheap suit.
From the Washington Post:
"Assuming Udall enters the race (and we are assuming he does), the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and other national Democratic organizations will make it very tough for Chavez to raise money inside the Beltway. Can Chavez raise enough in the state to be competitive with Udall? It'll be tough"
If the reality is that Chavez isn't even going to get through the primary, he's going to be left as Mayor for a third term unless somebody steps up. Don't get all excited about any change....it could end up being more of the same but with some very pissed off people!!!
Too Many foes, even to run for 'dog catcher'
The state legislature is against the red light cameras, and 73% of the citizens are against them as well. The Democratic Party of NM will back Udall, and thanks to Ray, Marty's head will be handed to him by the voters. That's where it will count, foregoing any indictments, and resignations that may beat them to the punch.
dream on children
Smarty is done! Marty minions, pack your bags.
Don't want to participate? Don't run the red light...Seems pretty simple.
Ok,
You're right, I'll slam on my brakes the instant a light turns yellow and drive 11 miles under the speed limit everywhere in case the speed van operator is confused about the posted speed limit.
Wow, things sure are simple in your world, thanks pinhead.
If you are driving the speed limit, and the signal turns amber there would be no need to slam on your brakes. There is plenty of time to clear the intersection w/o a citation. So, yes it really is pretty simple.
Signed,
Pinhead
It is naive to think Marty's political career is dead. Sure, he ain't gonna make it to Congress in any fashion, but remain as Mayor--very likely. Nobody is stepping up and he has a core base of constituents that will keep him in office unless somebody electable closes that door for him. Until that happens and he says otherwise it's a given he'll be Mayor for another term.
ok...for all the special needs "I SUPPORT THE CAMERAS" Marty Puppets.....
We have already seen that the city reduced the "yellow" light timing....briefly corrected it...but I bet if you check...it's switched back.
It has changed the driving behaviors of the citizens of Albuquerque....slam on their brakes more often, causing more rear enders.
There is nothing equitable or fair about the red light camera. The people who get cited are the responsible citizens....that have license plates...uncovered plates...local plates...current registration information, etc. The people who don't get cited....people without plates, no current registration, obstructed plates.....this is a program that only hurts the people that it was marketed to protect.
Wake up....how many stories about improper citations being issued....how many news articles...the Mayor is simply preying on the fears of the citizens of the city and karma is a bitch!!!!
....right and politicians who lie don't get re-elected. I hope you're right I really do but we're gonna get another Jim Baca or worse...
Nothin could be worse than Baca - he actually hated cops, not "ignored", not "didnt understand us", he friggen hated us and made no bones about it
If you are driving the speed limit, and the signal turns amber there would be no need to slam on your brakes. There is plenty of time to clear the intersection w/o a citation. So, yes it really is pretty simple.
So, you see, it is just that simple... Next time some kid runs in front of you don't stop, just run over the kid to avoid getting hit from behind by some guy following too close.
"and what happens to the A**hole riding your rear bumper?" Easy, the fucker flees 'cause:
1. There's a warrant for his/her arrest.
2. He/She's at fault
3. They don't have insurance
And you, dutiful driver, are stuck with a jacked up Lexus, in the middle of an intersection, waiting for the cops to come. Welcome to Albuquerque!!!!
What the bleep are you talking about.... the signal turns amber and there is plenty of time to clear the intersection without a citation? You mean we should run the yellow?
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