A lobbyist front group for scamera peddler American Traffic Solutions has been dealt a severe blow in Washington State over the firm’s attempts to stop a public vote on dangerous automated ticketing machines:
In a two-sentence order, the court refused to intervene in the scheduled November 2 election in the city of Mukilteo where residents had signed a petition forcing a red light camera and speed camera ban onto the ballot. The denial of a motion for an emergency injunction came a month after the Snohomish County Superior Court also declined to stand between the voters and the ballot box…”
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San Bernadino is probably wishing they never installed cameras now:
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_16059616
Grand Terrace has until Oct. 2 to make up late payments of $72,203 stemming from a series of miscalculations or face an additional $27,500 in late fees.
Redflex initially waived the city’s late fees, but when the city missed the June catch-up date, the company announced it would charge 1.5 percent interest on all payments, retroactive to when they first became overdue, if it did not receive payment by Oct. 2.
And after continually making claims that 80% of the public supports the cameras, the camera companies seem overly concerned about letting the people decide.
unisys looking to buy redflex?
unisys just sold its insurance/pension cash burning a hole in their pocket?
hmmmm do you have a source?
I wouldn’t doubt it, it would be a match made in heaven:
http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/dps/PreBids/2007PreBids/PreBid57755.pdf
Quietly on the list bidding for chi-town in 07. BFF with DHS.
The latest citizen sacrifice: Hikers – September 15th
The city of Phoenix is getting ready to bleed yet another passionate segment of its
citizenry, hitting them up for a few more dollars because they truly care about a narrow
aspect of city life and are willing to pay more for it.
Then the city will turn around and give that money to its employees. There is insufficient backbone to say no.
This time it’s the hikers who will pay.
You’ve seen this movie before: Threaten to kill or severely cut some service with passionate (or desperate) supporters. Offer up a disaster scenario if more money isn’tproduced. Then, after the initial wailing and public apoplexy, come up with a slightly
lesser fleecing of this group to gain public compliance.
Hey, it’s only a few bucks and it
will keep our (fill in the blank) hiking trails, softball fields, library hours, etc. etc. etc.
The Oscar for this performance came during the budget hearings, where police, firemen, libraries and seniors centers were offered up as sacrifices to the fiscal gods if the public didn’t approve a $50 million food tax.
Take a wild guess where all the public hearings were held? Libraries and senior centers, naturally.
The ugly truth is that the $100 million in new taxes and fees Phoenix has already imposed on its citizenry in the past seven months is not necessary to keep those services and protections. It’s to find enough money to pay for 14,000-plus union-represented
employees who average $100,000 a year in compensation.
The parking fee – at trails you already pay for three ways – came about after the city drastically cut services and hours for parks, then gave the parks board the notion that if it didn’t raise money for the general fund, much more would be cut. That’s where the $5 a day parking fee came up (later reduced to $2 – hey, a comparative bargain). Then the city
management promised that all the new dollars would go to parks.
First off, management can’t guarantee that. Even the Council can’t guarantee that.
On Sept. 15, the Phoenix City Council will be asked to approve enforcing this latest rummage through your pockets (3 p.m., Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson).
No Council approval, no new fee. I say it’s time to separate the taxing-and-spending addict from its drug, which is your money.
If you want to learn more, contact us. Or show up at the Council meeting and tell Phoenix it has enough of your money already. And be sure to send this around to your email list.
Councilman Sal DiCiccio represents District 6, which includes Ahwatukee, Arcadia, Biltmore, East Camelback and North Central. He can be reached at council.district.6@phoenix.gov.
http://phoenix.gov/webcms/groups/internet/@inter/@pcc/@dist6/documents/web_content/048865.pdf
ATS running another town:
http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=13146369
Just one question?
Did the ATS lobbyists ever challenge the Washington Supreme Court to a Duel…because that could have solve the problem right there?
Paradise Valley council will review traffic-camera data
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/09/15/20100915paradise-valley-council-traffic-cameras-review.html
Those cameras are so difficult to get running correctly, you have to wonder just how reliable they are: http://www.kgun9.com/Global/story.asp?S=13162302
Volunteer **** head:
http://theexpiredmeter.com/?p=7110&cpage=1#comment-42444
Show that seal!