Traffic Cams Bring In $250,000/Month In A Town With A $4.6 Million Budget

Well file this under “Complete BS From The Cops” dept.

If you need any further evidence that traffic cameras are nothing more than vast revenue streams for any given town and do nothing to make us safer, then look no further than this latest piece of evidence.

In Chevy Chase, Maryland, where speeding tickets brought in about $8,000 monthly before speed cameras were installed, things are much rosier for the towns coffers, “We are routinely bringing in approximately a quarter-million dollars per month,” said Geoffrey Biddle, Chevy Chase’s village manager, told the Board of Managers.

And look who it is effecting most: ” … because locals know enough to evade the cop cams, the village’s new revenue mostly comes from outsiders, rather like a commuter tax.”

And it’s not just Chevy Chase.

DC’s cameras have taken in more than $200 million since 2001. Scottsdale AZ has six freeway cameras that took in $17 million in 2006.

Feeling safer?

Source: BoingBoing

Great article Tony! These camera’s can be very dangerous as well. When I was in Phoenix last month visiting the UniqueBlogDesign.com boys, we got snapped by one of these traffic cameras late at night on a pretty remote northern Scottsdale road/hwy. The light used to snap the photo from head on scared the sh*t out of us, distracted the driver and caused to wonder (for a few seconds) what the he77 just happened.. I can’t believe they allow something like that especially at night. I wouldn’t be surprised if these night flash photo speed cams cause accidents and cause some major lawsuit..

How fast were you going?

We weren’t going any faster than 10mph (16km/h) over the speed limit. Apparently those cameras are set to ticket anyone exceeding 7mph? Such a rediculous cash grab, $17 MILLION in 2006 in Scottsdale!! OUCH!! Well at least most people there have the money for it because I saw so many rediculous cars during my visit. It’s such a beautiful place that I am considering moving there before going to California!