NEWBURGH HEIGHTS, Ohio - - A regional mayor has confessed to the Fox 8 I-Team that police are ticketing drivers on Interstate 77 with speed electronic cameras to generate income.
For the very first time, the Mayor of Newburgh Heights opened about what a lot of you have actually argued for years.
This comes as a local legislator prepares to present a series of bills that could close down speed electronic cameras statewide.
For years, police officers have actually stood along I-77, ticketing huge numbers of chauffeurs with speed cameras and bringing in huge money in fines for Newburgh Hts.
Now, Mayor Gigi Traore informs the I-Team that the Village would be broke without the cam tickets.
She said, "It's still what we have for income, and we have to sustain it so we can continue to offer the services to our citizens."
Chauffeurs have actually spoken out often times slamming the speed video cameras as, merely, a method to generate income without having much impact on security. Chauffeurs get the tickets in the mail weeks after they 'd been clocked by police.
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The Newburgh Hts. Cops Chief has actually claimed the camera ticket program is all about security.
Now, the Mayor says that without those fines, the Village would not be able to pay police, firefighters, and more.
The Mayor stated, "You understand, it's both. We can't have safety if we don't have the earnings to cover the safety forces."
The I-Team examined. Up until now this year, Newburgh Heights has filed in court almost 50-thousand speed electronic camera tickets and the Garfield Hts. Municipal Court has actually gathered more than 2 million dollars in fines for the Village.
Nonetheless, the Village simply laid off three employees.
When the traffic video camera program had been put on hold, those layoffs come after Village Council members said the Village lost a lot of money. It was stopped briefly due to a disagreement with the Court.
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State Representative Tom Patton plans to present brand-new steps soon that would close down speed electronic cameras statewide.
He stated, "We have a few rogue cities. Little ‘‘ burbs that run out control."
Patton has actually tried to pass brand-new policies for speed cameras before. Now, he's also targeting business overseas that procedure camera tickets for Northeast Ohio neighborhoods.
" The idea that 40-50-60 percent of this fine money is going overseas. It boils my blood," Rep. Patton stated. "Too numerous of these city governments that weep, ‘‘ safety, safety, safety,' they're counting cash as they go to the bank."
He said, "I've constantly believed if you have a great cause and an excellent costs, you press forward."
For the very first time, the Mayor of Newburgh Hts. admits the Village can't live without those tickets.
The Mayor stated, "We need to be realistic. Services don't take place at expense. They're not totally free."
She added that Newburgh Hts. may be able to withdraw on traffic tickets if the town can create financial advancement.
The I-Team just recently studied traffic security on that stretch of highway, notorious for video camera tickets.
Statistics from the Ohio State Highway Patrol reveal the variety of crashes has gone up in the last two years. Records reveal, in that stretch in 2020, an overall of 24 crashes. In 2021, an overall of 29 crashes. And, in 2015, 40 crashes.
Almost a quarter of the crashes last year were speed-related. That is the exact same number as back in 2018.
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