Back when red-light and speeding cameras were planned for the city of Cleveland, then mayor Jane Campbell initially justified the move almost solely on the revenue it would generate. It was only during subsequent days of news coverage that she seemed to realize citizens weren't happy about the blatant cash grab. Since then local pols and even the PD have all bought in to the myth that the cameras are primarily a safety concern. What a load of crap.
Today the PD has a front-page article with a headline, "Cameras for cash, not safety, some say." SOME say? Give me a freaking break! Many more than "some" people have been saying that for years now. The real news in this article is the pathetic comments from city councilmen who suddenly are shocked, SHOCKED that the cameras are ticket-writing machines and not very focused on public safety. It's three years later and these council-people are finally upset? I don't buy it for a second. These people are sitting on city council and approving budgets and reading the same press you and I read. They've known for several years that these cameras amounted to a tax on people driving through Cleveland. The only reason these politicians are now quoted in this article is because they've no doubt been innudated with calls complaining about them.
This whole situation is exactly what people mean when they bemoan the sorry state of local political leadership over the past few decades. Even the "good guys" like Polensek fail to show any real leadership.
And it's telling that no where in the article does anyone object to these cameras on ideological grounds. Does no one care whether the local government posts cameras all over the place? Does anyone call into question whether a city ought to be able to legislate safety laws to generate income? Does anyone care about that conflict of interest? Does anyone question the fairness of sending a fine to the owner of a car, who may not be the driver? Does anyone bring up the fact that these cameras don't catch speeders who tint their plates or apply refelctive sprays? This is about more than just "safety" and "revenue." The whole setup is a sham, and there are people in on it, and lots of other people who just haven't cared enough to do anything about it even though it's their job to do so.
I'm curious. When a police car or a city owned vehicle gets caught by these cameras, what happens? Who pays the fine? Or does it just go in the trash bin? Are the fines public record and can we find out whether politicians and officials are getting caught like everyone else? The system seems ripe for further unfairness.
Sidenote. I drive between the West and East side every workday and past a few of these cameras. Fortunately I haven't gotten ticketed yet, but I figure it's a matter of time. I don't drive particularly fast, but there are instances where a typical drive would speed up and it would be absurd to get ticketed. For instance, on Clifton approaching West 117th there is no street parking at rush hour. But the rule is not well enforced. If you're driving the speed limit and see a parked car up ahead, you have to merge into the adjacent lane. Depending on the situation the safest way to do it might be to speed up and get over. I've done it dozens of times. And I think it's pretty uncool and, yes, unsafe for drivers to also be worrying about a freaking camera snapping their picture when they ought to be paying attention to the cars on the road.