Constituent Mail: BHC Photo Radar

NOTE: I received this email from a constituent in BHC who, much like myself, strongly opposes Photo Radar. The constituent asked me to print this on the blog as he/she doubted it would be printed in the paper.

Dear Editor,

Bullhead City is not a sleepy little fishing town anymore. We are on the map as the home of the Arizona Tax Revolt that has taxing entities across the state realizing that the jig is up and that property taxes will soon be reduced and future increases limited. In the tradition of Paul Revere, Neil Young’s article has alerted us to the very real possibility of Photo Radar. This technology can be used to ticket BOTH red light runners and someone going a few miles per hour over the speed limit.

See their Press Release: http://www.redflex.com/public_documents/asx_announcements/2008-02-18%20Chillicothe%20Ohio.pdf

I am very much opposed to the deployment of this technology because it is simply too Orwellian, and frankly it being considered merely as a means of revenue enhancement. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Council approve it guided only by staff’s desire that the bureaucracy be sustained at its present level at a time when sales tax revenue has dipped. Of course the Council may be looking at Photo Radar as a means to fund expensive new pet projects like an aquatic or convention center. Apparently some Council members don’t consider speeding tickets given out by robots to be a tax on motorists, each of which will likely net several hundred dollars shared between the Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. and Bullhead City.

I believe that Bullhead City residents, already angry at the Police crackdown on traffic infractions while crimes like burglaries and worse go unsolved, would be willing to circulate a Referendum petition to require that Council approval of these systems be decided by the people. Or of course the Council could refer this question to the ballot themselves rather than deciding such a contentious issue for us. Speak up now or it may be too late!