Spring Break
City votes to remove red light cameras
By: Amanda Casanova
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: News
A proposition to ban red light cameras in College Station passed by a 52 to 48 percent margin.
Final numbers from Tuesday's election show that 3,805 people voted to keep the cameras, while 4,077 cast ballots to ban the cameras.
The cameras will be turned off Nov. 11 when the ballots are canvassed, or made official, by the City Council. The cameras are then slated to be removed between Nov. 11 to 14, with enforcement signs coming down at intersections on Nov. 12.
Citations issued for red light violations during the period between election day and Nov. 11 will still have to pay fines, said Jay Socol, director of communications for the City of College Station.
The cameras have garnered close to $2 million in 2008 and 2009, with College Station collecting more than $400,000.
Revenue from the cameras is split between the vendor, police labor and e-payments. Remaining revenue was then divided between the City of College Station and the state.
"Some traffic-related projects that were to be financed by camera revenues will have to be reprioritized so we can find funding for them," Socol said.
Also, the proposition to establish a "national research fund" to push Texas public universities to pursue research failed with 68 percent against.
Final numbers from Tuesday's election show that 3,805 people voted to keep the cameras, while 4,077 cast ballots to ban the cameras.
The cameras will be turned off Nov. 11 when the ballots are canvassed, or made official, by the City Council. The cameras are then slated to be removed between Nov. 11 to 14, with enforcement signs coming down at intersections on Nov. 12.
Citations issued for red light violations during the period between election day and Nov. 11 will still have to pay fines, said Jay Socol, director of communications for the City of College Station.
The cameras have garnered close to $2 million in 2008 and 2009, with College Station collecting more than $400,000.
Revenue from the cameras is split between the vendor, police labor and e-payments. Remaining revenue was then divided between the City of College Station and the state.
"Some traffic-related projects that were to be financed by camera revenues will have to be reprioritized so we can find funding for them," Socol said.
Also, the proposition to establish a "national research fund" to push Texas public universities to pursue research failed with 68 percent against.
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