 Custom Search  How Many Photo Tickets Will It Take Before You Fight Back? GPS Radar Detectors Pay For Themselves. City May Dump Cameras
March 6/2009 |
| Upland's problem began in 2001 when the company that is now doing business as ACS was caught manipulating pavement sensors in a way that boosted the number of tickets issued in San Diego. At the time, the vendor was being given a monetary award for each red light citation the company generated. The state legislature responded to the scandal with a law banning compensation of the private company operating red light camera programs "based on the number of citations generated, or as a percentage of the revenue generated." To avoid upsetting local governments, contracts signed prior to January 2004, like Upland's, were grandfathered. The law only applied to new contracts. As a result, Upland continues to reward Redflex with an $89 payment for every $426 ticket that the Australian company issues. This was perfectly legal until December 1, 2005 when the city quietly negotiated a change to the contract that gave Upland the first 100 tickets -- or $8900 -- free. This unofficial contract amendment created a new per-ticket compensation arrangement not permitted under the law. "The contract issue is currently under court scrutiny, and, pending the outcome, has the potential to invalidate citations previously issued," Adams explained. |
As with Norcross, Georgia which this week ended photo ticketing over revenue concerns, the red light cameras in Upland produced no safety benefit.
"The system appears to have little influence on the number of red light related collisions at monitored intersections," Adams wrote. "At times rear end collisions have actually increased."
Photo Enforcement Survey
Redflex did propose to resolve the legal difficulty by entering into a "pay per approach" deal that eliminates the monetary incentive for Redflex to issue more tickets. Adams did not like the plan.
"(It) would likely place the city in a position from which it would never attain a positive revenue flow," Adams wrote.
Click Here for A copy of the contract amendment and the police chief's memo in a 450k PDF file.
The Guru's Views
For those not aware ACS is the vendor for Winnipeg, Fort McMurray, Red Deer, Camrose, St. Albert and Strathcona County in Alberta, in Regina in Saskatchewan, and in Hamilton, Ottawa, the Peel Region and Toronto in Ontario.
There has been controversy involving their tactics in gaining NO BID contracts in both Winnipeg and Edmonton where two Sgt's were initially arrested for taking bribes from ACS.
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| In Winnipeg the Sargent who was the key negotiator for the Police Service which helped ACS win a NO BID $30 million dollar contract with the City of Winnipeg, is now Head of Sales in Canada for ACS! Affiliated Computer Services has seen more then it's share or controversy in the U.S. as well. For a complete history of their shady tactics visit, thenewspaper.com and become enlightened. Then send the same link to your City Counselor and ask why it is that your City is dealing with a company that lacks any Integrity. |
Slow Down, Drive Safe and Keep Your Money in Your Pocket!
Larry Stefanuik
Trafficticketguru.com
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Comments
March 10/09 8:33pm
Ed,
I don't know if you are involved in the appeal that the crown is planning, but here's my take on the speed trap along McGillivray from last fall.
- The highway and shoulders are the same width as they were before it was changed to a construction zone so there is no traffic safety reason for the speed change in this regard.In fact, the speed is back to 80 in both directions now that winter is here so road conditions have nothing to do with the reduced speed.
- Construction zone safety: I question why one direction was posted at 60 and the other direction was posted at 80.
- If this were two lanes going the same direction and they lowered the limit to 60, it would apply to both lanes.
- Since there is no divider between the lanes, how can that improve safety?
