Dori: Red light cameras are nothing but scams

We’re getting numbers on some of the most expensive red light cameras that we have around the state. As you know, I have been a passionate opponent of these red light cameras from the beginning for a bunch of reasons.

One, they were supposed to be for public safety, to stop the T-bone accidents that occur when drivers run a red. Well it turns out, more than 90 percent of red light camera tickets are for the “California stops” that drivers make when taking a free right.

The other big problem is that politicians sold this to the public by claiming that these tickets would cost the same as a parking ticket. And then, being the greedy bloodsuckers that politicians tend to be, they found the most expensive parking ticket possible — $136 for blocking an alley from an emergency vehicle — and made that the penalty for a red light camera ticket.

RELATED: Former exec says red light camera companies bribed City of Lynnwood officials

According to an article in The Seattle Times on Tuesday, a single red light camera in Des Moines brought in 24,000 tickets last year.

The red light cameras in this state make about $5 million annually from these tickets. About half of that money goes to the government; the other half goes to Redflex and American Traffic Solutions and the out-of-state companies operating these camera scams that our government officials climb into bed with.

Lynnwood has these cameras everywhere. A few years ago, I challenged that lying council member in Lynnwood who called my show all furious claiming that the cameras were just about public safety. I said that I would give $10,000 to the charity of his choice if he could pass a polygraph test while making that claim. That coward never took me up on it.

These red light camera tickets transfer a massive amount of money to liars in local government and to companies in Arizona and Texas, with no benefit whatsoever to public safety.

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