Jefferson looks at red light cameras

Posted by
Mike Buffington
Thursday, December 11. 2008
Comments (15)
Those running redlights in Jefferson may soon be caught by cameras located at traffic signals.

The Jefferson City Council will decide at its Dec. 22 meeting whether or not to approve a proposal from police chief Joe Wirthman to locate cameras at traffic lights on Hwy. 129 at I-85. The cameras would not be placed at the traffic light in downtown Jefferson.

A study was conducted of the traffic volume, accident rates and violations at all of the traffic lights in town. The traffic lights at I-85 had the most accidents and speeders.

At a meeting Monday night, Wirthman said the cameras would reduce the number of accidents.

“This is mainly a public safety issue,” he said.

But one councilman wasn’t so sure.

“Many studies have shown those cause accidents instead of prevent them,” said councilman Roy Plott.

An official with Lasercraft, a company that offers the cameras, said they have seen a 50 percent reduction in crashes after the system is installed.

If the cameras are approved, there would be a 30-day warning period. During that time, violators would receive warning notices in the mail. After that, tickets would be mailed to speeders.

Lasercraft presented a $4,695 per month fee for installing, maintaining and operating the program. The company would mail citations and collect the fines.
Information was also provided on how much money this brings in for other towns in Georgia. In Alpharetta, $1.1 million in fines was paid in 2005 for tickets issued by the company.
Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry
No Trackbacks
Comments
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)
#1 jeffersonresident on 12/10/08 at 06:17 PM [Reply]
For such a small town with high enough taxes, and the police department being the biggest expense, do we need this? Why can't Jefferson PD handle it, oh wait, than they can be other places to write traffic tickets instead of protecting and serving. Face it their just tax collectors with a gun and a badge, they should be embarrassed to call themselves law enforcement. Why don't you stop worrying about 85 and deal with the drug problem in the city, oh wait, that would mean admitting jefferson has bad areas and the city manager, mayor and council wouldn't want to admit that. between the radio station, hiking the water, and this all of us property owners are getting screwed. If you vote for any of these idiots when they are up for re-election, you are a idiot too. why not cut back the PD, water and every other department and give the tax payers a brake, we are in a recession you know
#1.1 Big Dave on 12/11/08 at 02:42 PM [Reply]
Yeah thats smart cut back the police department. You just said there was a drug problem in the city. Looks like your the idiot. The revenue from the tickets will only help the police department cover there budget. Which I think is a good idea. If your dumb enough to run one with posted signs then you need a ticket!
#1.1.1 Anonymous on 12/13/08 at 08:35 AM [Reply]
Because the current police chief rather write traffic tickets than patrol the streets, I get a patrol come down my street maybe twice a month. And this isn't a public safety thing, they will only sit somewhere else and write tickets. Jefferson PD is too worried about I-85 and not the town itself, let the state patrol handle the interstate, if not get rid of the PD and let the sheriff handle Jefferson, at least they patrol their areas instead of just writing traffic tickets, then they could lower taxes, wait the city council would find something stupid to waste it on like a radio station. and by the way, what if you don't get the almost $5000 in tickets a month that it costs, than just another bill for the taxpayers, go jefferson city council
#2 Michael McCarthy on 12/11/08 at 07:38 AM [Reply]
Do these lights catch speeders or red-light runners? I've never heard of an automatic speeding ticket via camera. I think this article needs to be amended.
#3 jokester on 12/11/08 at 10:44 AM [Reply]
funny story about the first redlight camera ticket the first person to get a ticket from a red light camera was mailed a ticket that had a fine of 40 dollars with a picture of him running the red light! the ticketed person took a picture of 2 twenty dollar bills and mailed the photo to the police dept that issued the ticket ! the police dept took a picture of a set of handcuffs and mailed it to the ticketed person he then paid the fine !! funny but true story !!
#4 Proud Resident of Jefferson on 12/11/08 at 09:13 PM [Reply]
Boy, JeffersonResident, you're a bright one.

Check the mil rate. In case you haven't noticed it WILL be lower in 2009 than it was this past year.

I'd call that a "brake" for taxpayers.

There are several lights in Athens with red light cameras. I can GUARANTEE you that I begin applying the brakes when those lights turn yellow.

If it A) reduces accidents B) raises the level of safety in the City limits and C) raises revenue by receiving ticket money from those dumb enough to run the lights then I'd say go for it.

After all, I'd go out on a limb and say that 80%+ of the folks who would potentially get hit with a ticket wouldn't be residents of Jefferson. The intersection of I-85 and US129 sees a thousands of non-Jeffersonians per day.
#4.1 Libservative on 12/12/08 at 05:53 PM [Reply]
Good job. Well, as long as it only nabs non-Jackson County people... So much for the logo.
#4.2 Anonymous on 12/13/08 at 08:46 AM [Reply]
my taxes didn't go down any this year, my main complaint is that it is not the police's job to be the cities revenue collector, this county is known for police abuse in traffic stops. And if you're fine with the government watching you with cameras, it starts with traffic lights and than what's next, and it's always in the name of public safety, go read the book 1984, and keep giving the government more power in the name of safety and see where we are as a country in 20 years, it starts small and before you know it you live in a police state
#5 AM on 12/12/08 at 10:12 AM [Reply]
I don't understand what the big deal is. At least with the cameras it'll catch the people who need to be caught. The officers won't be there to falsely accuse the rest. Just make sure you slow down before you reach the lights that have these posted and you should be fine. Also, don't run the redlights. By the way, it is against the law to speed and run redlights. Maybe all the anger should go towards something worth wild.
#6 Libservative on 12/12/08 at 05:51 PM [Reply]
As long as it's worth wild.
#7 Proud Resident of Jefferson on 12/13/08 at 09:05 PM [Reply]
Why in the world are you comparing George Orwell's doom and gloom prophesy to the City of Jefferson installing red light cameras?

You seriously think that the COJ installing red light cameras is a stepping stone to them watching you on your own property?

The Russians could tell us- 25 years ago- what height the White House lawn was being cut at.

I can assure you red light cameras are NOT sending us towards a "police state".
#8 Wonderer on 12/16/08 at 10:31 AM [Reply]
Blah Blah Blah....All this complaining and little research as to why. The point is, DON'T RUN RED LIGHTS and you will not have to worry about anything. You complainers kill me on here flapping your ignorant gums. Its obvious that the ones complaining are the ones that probably have serious traffic violations on their drivers record. Law abiding citizens would not waste their time complaining about a red light camera...GET A LIFE AND IF YOU DONT LIKE IT......MOVE! The housing market is a buyers market right now and I am sure that you can find a well of a deal somewhere other than Jefferson. I am one Jeffersonian that is just fed up with with ignorance.
#8.1 Mike Buffington on 12/16/08 at 11:22 AM [Reply]
Please keep your comments civil. The readers of this site are not "ignorant." If you don't like living here and cannot respect other peoples' opinions, then perhaps YOU should be the one considering a move.
#8.1.1 Anonymous on 12/16/08 at 06:37 PM [Reply]
You go Mike!!!!
#9 kathy on 12/16/08 at 12:42 PM [Reply]
I'm sure Wonderer will be able to find a "well" of a deal....
:-)
Add Comment
E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.
 
   
 
Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.
 
Copyright © 2008-2012 MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.