Red Light Revenue in Question
By: KQTV
Updated: January 10, 2013
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) Proposed legislation could change how revenue from red light cameras is distributed.
Missouri Sen. Will Kraus has introduced a bill that would divert revenue from cameras away from cities to local school districts.
School districts would be required to use the money for transportation purposes, and would not be limited to just cameras. Any revenue from automatic traffic enforcement systems would go to schools according to the bill.
Kraus is concerned that cities might be more focused on generating revenue than decreasing crashes.
A study from the National Safety Council found that crashes involving red light running decreased 27% with red light camera use between 2005 and 2009.
St. Joseph City Council member, PJ Kovac, didn't see the council's decision to install cameras as revenue driven.
"The city's not going to make that much on it," Kovac said in 2011.
"Because the police are short-handed, you know I understand that, and they don't have enough cops to sit at all of these busy intersections, and so that was going to help out on the police load, and supposedly cut down on the accidents."
The city will not receive all of the revenue generated through the cameras.
Tickets from the cameras will cost $100. The company that installed them will receive $75 of the first two tickets issued on a camera each day and $15 from each ticket after.
Missouri Sen. Will Kraus has introduced a bill that would divert revenue from cameras away from cities to local school districts.
School districts would be required to use the money for transportation purposes, and would not be limited to just cameras. Any revenue from automatic traffic enforcement systems would go to schools according to the bill.
Kraus is concerned that cities might be more focused on generating revenue than decreasing crashes.
A study from the National Safety Council found that crashes involving red light running decreased 27% with red light camera use between 2005 and 2009.
St. Joseph City Council member, PJ Kovac, didn't see the council's decision to install cameras as revenue driven.
"The city's not going to make that much on it," Kovac said in 2011.
"Because the police are short-handed, you know I understand that, and they don't have enough cops to sit at all of these busy intersections, and so that was going to help out on the police load, and supposedly cut down on the accidents."
The city will not receive all of the revenue generated through the cameras.
Tickets from the cameras will cost $100. The company that installed them will receive $75 of the first two tickets issued on a camera each day and $15 from each ticket after.
