City to Continue Collecting Red Light Fines

The Los Angeles City Council voted 11-2 on Wednesday in favor of continuing to pay a contractor to collect fines from approximately 50,000 outstanding red light camera tickets issued before July 31.

(Image courtesy Associated Press)

Earlier this year, the council voted to end the red light program at the end of July. In September, the council voted in favor of dismantling all remaining red light cameras in the city.

The decision to remove the cameras was based on disputes over the safety benefits, nearly $480 ticket cost and concern that the contract for collecting fines violated the L.A.'s boycott of Arizona.

American Traffic Solutions, the company that keeps the database of photos and evidence that police use to collect fines, is based in Arizona.

Councilman Mitchell Englander spearheaded the initiative to continue paying ATS $11,000 per month.

Assistant Chief Legislative Analyst June Gibson addressed the council, stating that the city can and should continue to pay the contractor as long as the revenue generated exceeds the cost of hiring per month.

In September, red light camera tickets generated about $107,000 in revenue for L.A.

Gibson also predicted that the Police Commission, which keeps track of the fines collected, would most likely vote to end fine collection by January of next year.

Councilmen Paul Koretz and Paul Krekorian cast the two dissenting votes, arguing that the decision has already been made to end the red light program.

"I thought we voted to kill this red light camera program," Koretz said. "It seems not to die. I think we need to put a stake though its heart at some point."

Councilman Englander retorted, "The stake is in the heart...now we still have to deal with the body," referring to the 50,000 unpaid tickets.

"The city has a legal and fiduciary responsibility to continue collecting the fines as long as it is not costing the city a dime. In fact, it's not."

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