Who’s paying for new red-light camera advocacy group?
HAZELWOOD — On Tuesday, Hazelwood Police Carl Wolf stood with other members of law enforcement to announce a new group advocating the use of red-light cameras.
Their push comes amid efforts in Jefferson City and elsewhere to regulate — or even ban — automated traffic enforcement, which has spread to dozens of intersections around the region since first appearing in Arnold a few years ago.
The group, “Missouri Families for Safer Roads,” passed out promotional materials and pointed supporters to its website.
So who’s footing the bill?
Though representatives from American Traffic Solutions — the for-profit camera company that takes a slice of each fine collected — were at Tuesday’s press conference, Wolf says they are not part of the effort.
“We started off with money out of our own pocket,” Wolf said.
Wolf said the group is being funded with donations from private “citizens,” though he said he did not know who they were. Wolf said he himself has given money, but initially declined to say how much.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” Wolf said.
Later, a spokesman for the group, AP reporter turned PR consultant Scott Charton, said Wolf wrote a $100 check.
Former Jefferson County state legislator Bill McKenna, who was also on the state Transportation Commission, is a director of the group. According to public records, the organization was incorporated last week by a Jefferson City lawyer, Tina Crow Halcomb.
Charton — who said he’s currently working for free — reiterated that, for the moment at least, no red-light camera companies are funding the coalition.
“Not one red-light camera company has written a check for this,” Charton said Tuesday. But, he added, “we would welcome their donation.”
“Not one red-light camera company has written a check for this,” Charton said Tuesday. But, he added, “we would welcome their donation.”
Isn’t contributions from them a bit a conflict of interest. The group stands up and hollers about how “red light cameras are not a money grab”, yet they stand with their hands-open hoping for money from the companies who truly are in it for the money. These red-light camera companies aren’t Not-for-profit organizations that only do this for their true concern of public saftey.
Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining.
Chief Wolf lied to the Senate Transportation Cmte. regarding SB211 last Wednesday when he said he did not know how much revenue Hazelwood has pulled in, only to then moments later admit that over the past 12 months they have pulled in 1.2 million dollars. He is doing much the same song and dance in the video. If you do not think ATS is most likely funding this through paid ATS lobbyists such as Joyce Aboussie or her companies, I have some ocean front property in Idaho to sell you.
So, in the video Chief Wolf first says he does not know, but then 45 seconds later then knows for certain that no camera companies have donated to the group? Sure………move along, nothing to see here. The whole thing is a joke to prevent SB211 from passing in the event it is moved out of committee.
Who cares who pays for it when red light cameras are obviously saving lives!
Peter, really? What lives have they saved? Perhaps you could post an independent study that supports that claim? Or perhaps the Texas DOT Study that Houston Mayor Bill White had the conclusion changed on prior to release, so that the results would support the “safety” case? Too bad it was discredited 2 weeks later via a FOIA request. I believe there are criminal charges pending.
Big Brother where art thou? Everywhere, that’s where. Red light cameras are nothing but revenue to cities that use them and that is all they care about. I have never seen one policeman actually care about public safety at anytime. So beware, especially you Hazelwood cops, the cameras will be on you too!
I don’t trust anything about these cameras - they are an ATM machine disguised as a public safety initiative. My brother in AZ says they are everywhere. He bought this special GPS device called GPS Angel that knows where all the cameras are and beeps when he’s near one.
This doesn’t pass the smell test.
People who oppose red-light cameras tend to be the people caught (or in danger of being caught) by red-light cameras, for whom the difference between right and wrong is whether you get caught. I don’t care who makes a buck in the process, let’s make our intersections safer.
Todd Feldman. Just for your information.
It’s an ATM. Not an ATM machine. “ATM machine” is redundant.
So is “Hot water heater”
Also “PIN number” Personal Indentification Number.
And “VIN number” Vehicle Indentification number.
ATM is an acronym for “Automated Teller Machine”.
What I would like to know as an Arnold resident is, who is footing the bill for the secretive Don’t Tread on Me group that is working against the safety cameras in this community? This is a blatant effort to politicize a public safety issue. Arnold voters know better.