Red Light On Cleveland Public Safety

Monday, February 08, 2010

“We are not making money, but we haven’t lost money.” Those are the recent words of Cleveland City Manager Janice Casteel regarding the red light cameras in Cleveland. If it’s not about revenue and it is about public safety, the cameras would stay.

The city has a contract to pay a flat rate of $16,750 per month for the cameras. If they’re breaking even like they say they are, then pay it and keep the cameras. It’s about public safety, right? I wasn’t sold on these cameras being nothing but revenue producers for the government, but I am now.

It is hard to believe that if it’s all about public safety, as they claim it is, then the city of Cleveland would pay the monthly payment and keep them.

I read and listened to the leaders of Cleveland in the news, but not one has mentioned any effort to try and work out a solution to keep the cameras. They claim to have gotten a letter from the company, but if they were paying the monthly bill why would the program be terminated?

Tonight I heard on the news that they would not look at finding another company. This to me is a great example of the city not making the money they thought they would so in return, they did away with the program. I guess there’s just too much effort for this type of public safety.

Erik Benson


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