Aldermen want slice of red-light camera revenue
Red-light traffic cameras have spread like wild fire — some would say locusts — as municipal officials around Missouri and the country realized they could raise revenue without any overhead.
At St. Louis City Hall, now aldermen want some of that money back in their neighborhoods.
Freeman Bosley Sr. is sponsoring legislation that would require 2o percent of the city’s take on each camera citation to benefit the ward where the violation occurred.
Under Bosley’s plan, the money, about $13.75 per a ticket, would go into a ward improvement fund, an account controlled by each alderman that can be used for anything from parks to streetlights.
Alderman Charles Quincy Troupe has a similar pitch, but his bill would dedicate 80 percent of the city’s total to youth and anti-gang programs.
Don’t count on Troupe’s version, though, to advance in front of Bosley’s effort, if at all — Bosley is chairman of the Traffic Committee, whose jurisdiction includes red-light cameras.
Mr. Wiese,
This is all ado about nothing. Try calling your aldermen and asking how much of their ward improvement accounts are left over each year because of their lack of vision / cooperation. They increased their expense accounts by thousands this year, all they need is more money, right?