WATERLOO — The city of Waterloo inches closer to installing automated traffic enforcement cameras to fine motorists running red lights and speeding.
City Council members faced increasing criticism of the devices Monday before voting unanimously to approve the second reading of an ordinance, which would make Waterloo the first Black Hawk County community to employ the controversial cameras.
Council members tabled a proposed three-year contract with Gatso USA, of Beverly, Mass., to install and operate the cameras. That contract and a proposed fine schedule will return for a vote after the final ordinance reading Aug. 7.
Wayne Nathem, a former mayoral candidate, was among several residents opposing traffic cameras.
“Are they really for safety or are they for revenue?” Nathem said. “I feel like they’re more for revenue than what they are for safety.”
Resident Jim Chapman said the city should focus on neighborhood crime suppression instead of ticketing elderly women who accidently run red lights.
But Police Chief Dan Trelka said the cameras have proven effective in reducing crashes in other communities. He is proposing to install red light cameras at six high-crash intersections while acquiring a mobile trailer and handheld cameras for speed enforcement.
“From my personal experience, I have gotten three of these tickets, and when I’m in those communities I tend to drive a lot more cautiously,” he said.
Trelka said he would prefer to see any revenue generated by the cameras used to hire three more police officers or lower property taxes.
Some residents questioned the legality of the cameras and noted motorists are increasingly choosing not to pay up because the tickets do not affect state driving records and cannot be used as black marks on credit scores.
“The problem I have with this is if you put these up you still can’t collect the fines because the fines are unenforceable,” said resident Don Share.
Cedar Rapids, which made $4.4 million from traffic cameras in 2016, is now seeing just more than half of its tickets paid since the Iowa Attorney General’s Office told cities nonpayment of the tickets could not be factored in credit scores, according to the Iowa Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
Dorian Grubaugh, regional sales manager for Gatso USA, noted it is up to cities to decide whether to pursue collections on unpaid tickets. His company would get $36 per ticket paid, but is not compensated for unpaid tickets.
Grubaugh noted a proposal to ban automated traffic cameras was not approved by the Iowa Legislature last year.
“As of right now, it’s completely legal…unless the state changes that,” he said.
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