Topic: Traffic violations
Corrupt Maryland Speed Cameras Maryland municipalities are falling over themselves to generate revenue by speed cameras.by Gavin Kitchens
(libertarian)
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Certain Maryland municipalities are stumbling over themselves to implement speed cameras. The Maryland General Assembly in 2009 passed a law allowing speed camera implementation by municipalities statewide. Maryland requires a set fine of $40 for a camera speeding ticket. No points are applied to the offender's license. If the speed camera's accuracy is not questionable and if points are applied to a license for tickets handed out manually by officers, then why aren't points added for speed camera violations? If points are essential to promote public safety for manually issued tickets, then why aren't they used for camera tickets? If camera error and inaccuracy is not the answer (and municipalities will never give that answer) then the reason is, without a doubt, compliance. These laws are intended to generate obedience by the citizenry. The low fine and lack of points provide a source of revenue to municipalities that citizens will not take the time to fight. They will, as governments want, shut up and pay. It is nothing more than a tax, under the guise of promoting public safety.
A further disincentive to fight speed camera tickets is the cost in time of fighting the ticket. I attempted to protest a ticket, but I would have had to take off at least half a day of work during the week to spend at the court house. There is no appointment, so no ability to determine how long I might be waiting.
There is a lawsuit pending in Montgomery County, Maryland against the County's contract for speed cameras. The website, stopbigbrothermd.org, has reported extensively on this:
"The lawsuit alleges that because the county pays ACS [a contractor] a $16.25 cut of each ticket it violates a provision of the state's speed camera law which specifies that ‘If a contractor operates a speed monitoring system on behalf of a local jurisdiction, the contractor's fee may not be contingent on the number of citations issued or paid.' Montgomery County claims that the provision does not apply because they assert that the county rather than ACS ‘operate' the cameras. ACS has substantial control over the system with their own press releases stating that ‘ACS processes violations; generates and mails notices; schedules adjudication and appeals appointments; provides document imaging and correspondence management; provides walk-in customer service; maintains camera equipment; and provides pay-by-web, pay-by-phone, and integrated voice response systems.'" (www.stopbigbrothermd.org)
New Carrolton, Maryland is also implementing a system with a similar illegal contract, saying that the contractor does not directly operate the system. Baltimore County quickly wrote the additional revenue expected into their budget after the General Assembly passed the bill. Other municipalities will follow suit as the temptation of added revenue is difficult for bureaucrats to resist.
Roads are unfortunately public spaces (they do not have to be to the extent they are today, but for better or worse…). As such, I agree that rules must be enforced. Those rules, however, should not be specifically designed to increase revenue to government coffers. These speed camera laws are clearly being used for that purpose, so citizens are right to doubt the motivation and the benefit to public safety. Officials in government consistently seek to grow the government, at all levels, by increasing revenue, staff, scope, and authority. Officials gain prestige among their colleagues, create upward mobility for themselves, and increase their salaries by implementing corrupt laws such as these. What makes speed cameras corrupt? When the primary purpose is to generate revenue, then the motivation of officials in their implementation is as stated above.
Speed cameras are a tool of corrupt and tyrannical government. The fines are a tax on driving. Government taxes the public in innumerable ways outside of the obvious taxes, which consume such a large portion of our paychecks. People simply don't care enough to fight each little tool.
Did you like this article? If you did, Thumb It! 9 thumbs so far
The views expressed in this
article are those of Gavin Kitchens only and do not represent
the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Gavin Kitchens is
solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an
employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Want to comment on this
article? Leave your comment here. Your email address is
required to track your comment. However, we will neither
publish your email address nor distribute it to other
organizations or persons. The only reason we might use
it would be if we needed to contact you regarding your
comment. All comments are subject to our
terms of use policy.
