Say "Cheese!" You'll Receive Your Ticket in 10 Days
Red-light cameras are raking in the dough and the city wants more
Maybe LA does have a plan to take care of its budget problems, and maybe that plan is reaching into your pocket and taking a little bit more money whenever you make that "California Stop."
The LAPD has seen a significant increase in revenue from the red-light camera program designed to help reduce accidents and save lives, though some critics disagree with the stated purpose and contend that the cameras are just to fatten the city's pockets.
The LA County Superior Court provided the Los Angeles Times with estimates that show "from late 2007 to late 2009, monthly revenue from cameras, now operating at 32 city intersections, has nearly doubled from about $200,000 per month to about $400,000."
The explanation for the doubling in monthly revenue is because the city more than doubled the amount charged for most of its red-light camera tickets, according to the Times.
The change, based on a legal recommendation from the city attorney, affects thousands of motorists each year who make rolling right turns against red lights -- known as "California stops." According to Los Angeles Police Department estimates provided to The Times last year, about eight in 10 photo tickets were issued for right turns, which some experts say are less likely to result in serious accidents.
When Los Angeles brought its fines in line with those in other cities, right-turn ticket penalties increased from $156 to $381. The city's share of each ticket payment increased from $58 to nearly $150, where it remains today.
Where does this increased revenue go? A significant portion of the cash goes straight to state and county programs, according to the Times report.
With ticket prices soaring north of the $450 range, Councilman Dennis Zine told the Times, "They're pricing themselves to the point the average citizen can't afford it."
For a complete report on the red-light camera program, see the article on Latimes.com. To see an interactive map of how the cameras work in an intersection, visit the Times interactive.
