It looks like the truth is finally out regarding the red light cameras. Many believe that the red light cameras are nothing more than a money printing machine for the City of Albuquerque. Yet, the Mayor has often defended them as important to public safety. That is until the state government decided they wanted a piece of the action (subscription):
Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez said Tuesday that he’ll pull the plug on the city’s traffic camera enforcement program if legislators pass a law requiring the city to share some of its fees with the state.
Senate Bill 780, unanimously approved by the Senate last week, would require the city to give the state $74 for every citation issued by the traffic camera program.
“This bill is a program killer,” Chávez said. “This is very unfortunate. The state’s largest city comes up with an innovative program to improve public safety, and the legislators just see green.”
You tell me. Who is seeing green? Mayor Chavez wants to be Governor. You’ve got to be kidding. Yet again, Mayor Marty demonstrates that his primary concern is increasing the city budget anyway that he can. Any argument that public safety is his number one concern just went speeding by.