Sunday, February 3, 2008

Traffic Cameras in Ohio....

Before Big Brother gets even more out of control, with every little municipality wanting a slice of the Revenue pie, the people of Ohio should be pressing for a State Law that limits the use of fine money collected from violators caught by these cameras to only be used by a program or programs like the Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE).

That program is only a suggestion, but if there are going to be cameras (bad idea), then let's limit the ability of cities to become the "Video New Rome" of Ohio, and keep the collection agencies out of it. Also, by limiting the money to an exact use and away from the General Fund, it keeps the politician's grubby hands out of it for the most part.

Each camera would have to be backed by an ODOT study and the fines would be collected by the State - NOT the city and a collection agency that takes a big cut. No fine money would go into ANY General Fund or individual city coffers.

That would keep predatory collections by the cities down and actually result in LESS cameras, but in the places they are needed most, and with and end result of helping the people who need help the most, making the most needy Ohioans more employable.

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