Austin bureau chief in favor of cameras in Houston
The Chronicle's Austin bureau chief took time out from covering the news in Austin this past weekend to let us know he's in favor of the White/Hurtt push to install cameras at red lights all over town.
It's a typically simplistic Chron editorial:
White is asking the Houston City Council to install cameras at intersections with high accident rates, so that violators can be assessed civil fines by mail.It's a good idea but is predictably generating some moaning and groaning, mostly from people who will be in a hurry some day to get to their own funerals. (Just don't try to hurry the rest of us to ours, please.)
No one has an unrestricted right to drive a car. Government, in the interest of promoting public safety, already has the long-established authority to set age and competency requirements for driver licenses, impose traffic laws and require drivers to have insurance. Using cameras for enforcement is a reasonable extension of that authority, provided the city imposes adequate safeguards on how the cameras are operated and revenue collected.
There are just a few problems here.
First, the Mayor isn't proposing to fine violators after positive identification (as is the case when an officer typically issues a citation); Mayor White is proposing to fine the owners of cars identified by an outside firm by looking up license plates based on camera imagery. That's a BIG difference for those of us who generally believe in the notion of positive identification when assessing fines (of course, the recent performance of HPD's crime lab suggests that positive identification isn't always a priority for the city). Besides, this is the sort of thing likely to get Marvin Zindler riled up, and we don't think the Mayor wants to cross Marvin.
Second, what procedures will ensure that the private contractor does not abuse the system in order to generate more revenue for itself? Even Robison favors "adequate safeguards" in this area, yet we've not heard what those will be. Citizens deserve to know before Council rams through another of Mayor White's proposals.
Third, what does the city plan to do with the extra revenue (because this is all about generating new revenue)? Will it be used to fund HPD cadet classes that Mayor White and his council have ignored thus far? Or will it fund some boondoggle? Again, citizens deserve to know.
To its credit, the Chronicle actually has run some letters critical of the White/Hurtt revenue enhancement plan.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/14/04 10:55 PM | Print |
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