When we first heard that the county was planning to install speed cameras in school zones, we were, to say the least, skeptical.
The proposal didn’t pass the smell test. In the same breath that the cameras where announced as a program that would protect children on their way to school, the people pushing the plan talked about the $30 million that they projected the cameras would raise.
From day one it was clear that this was nothing more than nothing more than a money-making scheme.
There had been no increase in the number of pedestrians being struck by cars in school zones or anywhere else. In fact that number has steadily declined. This was Big Brother at its worst.
We have used this space repeatedly to criticize the speed-camera proposal, even at the risk that some readers might think that we weren’t sufficiently concerned about the safety of school children.
Before the school year began motorists were getting tickets for driving too fast in school zones. Since the reduced speed laws were not in effect on those days, the county had to return those fines.
The county was planning on ticketing thousands of cars. In addition to the fine, the owner of the car would pay a processing fee and get points that would likely increase his/her insurance premiums, even if the driver was going just a few miles-per-hour over the speed limit.
It has now become clear to the county legislators that they have created a monster. The people who elected them are furious about the costly tickets they are getting.
These are not reckless drivers. These are motorists who go their pockets picked by legislators who couldn’t think of any other way to balance the budget.
Last week Republican Nassau County lawmakers introduced legislation to terminate the school speed-zone-camera program.
Presiding Officer Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow) said she expected the legislation to receive bipartisan support. “Just as we implemented it unanimously, we’re going to repeal it unanimously,” she said.
She noted that in July the program was supported by from legislators from both parties.
Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams (D-Freeport), the Legislature’s minority leader, said, “It became evident that it was less about safety and more about the financial burdens of our county’s mismanagement onto the motorists.”
On Tuesday, the Legislature did as Gonsalves predicted and voted 19-0 to repeal the law.
But back in July the only one that saw that was Blank Slate Media.
There are better and fairer ways to ensure pedestrian safety near the schools. Acting Nassau County Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter said patrols would increase near schools, and that flashing lights placed in school zones as part of the camera program will remain in operation.
The question for the county will be how to make up for the $30 million in projected revenues from the school speed-zone-camera program in 2015.
That’s a big problem. Hopefully the county will find a solution that does not include raising taxes.
In the wake of this misadventure, we urge the county legislators to adopt a bipartisan resolution demanding that a line be drawn so that the county’s authority to ticket and assess fines never again be misused in this manner.
New fines should never be created just to balance the budget.
Public safety is not a budget gimmick. It would be unfortunate if the county did not learn something from what has become a costly mistake.
