Written by Tim Eyman just sent our mayor and council members a question via email. In his email he explains that his latest initiative I-985 will, in-part, redirect any excess revenues from red-light cameras out of local cities accounts and into a state-wide “anti-congestion” fund, and then he asks “what is your city’s plan should voters approve I-985?”
I can’t speak for the rest of the council members or the mayor on this, and we do not meet again for two more weeks, but I know that this initiative would not change my position on red-light cameras. These cameras were not installed to raise money. They were installed to promote safety. While the speed cameras still have signage issues we are working to resolve, and both speed and red-light cameras may always seem Orwellian to some people (even though they do not capture the drivers identities), it’s not the money that led to the decision to install these cameras in Renton. It’s safety.
Currently, any revenues from the red-light and speed cameras in Renton are directed to Renton Police overtime to reduce speeding in neighborhoods.
So, Tim Eyman’s question is really one more for the voters. Do you want Renton traffic fines that are currently dedicated to traffic safety in Renton neighborhoods to instead be sent to Olympia and targeted for state-wide traffic congestion.
If so, I don’t have a problem with that. But Just like Tim Eyman, I don’t have a lot of faith in Olympia lately. Additionally, I think statewide congestion relief should be paid for with state-wide funds, not with funds coming disproportionately from Renton drivers. So I will personally cast my vote to keep any Red-light funds here in Renton for neighborhood safety.
—–Original Message—–
From: Tim Eyman [mailto:tim@permanent-offense.org]
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 10:05 AM
To: dlaw@ci.renton.wa.us; mpalmer@ci.renton.wa.us; rcorman@ci.renton.wa.us; dpersson@ci.renton.wa.us; tbriere@ci.renton.wa.us; gtaylor@ci.renton.wa.us; rzwicker@ci.renton.wa.us
Subject: Eyman to Renton and other red light camera cities: will you follow Wenatchee mayor’s lead?
August 25, 2008
TO: Renton Mayor Denis Law
TO: Renton City Council members: Marcie Palmer, Council President, Randy Corman, Council President Pro Tem, Don Persson, Terri Briere, King Parker, Greg Taylor, and Rich Zwicker
cc: Mayors and City Council members for the cities with red light camera profit centers (Seattle, Puyallup, Lakewood, Lynnwood, Spokane, Aberdeen, Wenatchee, Bremerton, Vancouver, Lake Forest Park, Renton, Auburn, Sammamish, Lacey, Federal Way, Tacoma, SeaTac, Issaquah, Mountlake Terrace, Bellevue, and Everett)
A complete list of elected officials and their email addresses who were sent this email appear at the bottom
From: Tim Eyman, co-sponsor of Initiative 985, the “Reduce Traffic Congestion Initiative”
cc: All local and statewide media outlets (newspapers, radio, TV), house & senate members, Governor
RE: Eyman to Renton and other red light camera cities: will you follow Wenatchee mayor’s lead?
Saturday’s Wenatchee World reported on Mayor Dennis Johnson’s reaction to I-985: “Johnson said the city’s incentive to install cameras is gone if I-985 passes.” The story also reported: “Johnson said Wenatchee’s not about to put up the money and manpower to run the system if the state’s going to get all the money.” Wenatchee World, August 23, 2008,
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080823/NEWS04/66384
The voters deserve to know which cities are doing red light cameras for profit, as Mayor Johnson reveals is the case in Wenatchee, and which cities are doing them for safety.
For a long time, many taxpayers have questioned the government’s motivation for this very profitable program. With stories like these, it’s not hard to understand why: “Spokane is about to join the growing number of U.S. cities enjoying cash windfalls from catching red-light runners with sophisticated intersection cameras.” City will profit from plan to deploy intersection cameras, Spokesman Review, February 23, 2008, http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=13804.
Or this: “The cameras have turned out to be quite the money maker, allowing the city to collect more than a million dollars in fines in the first year from the cameras at four intersections. Mayor Greg Nickels says the program is about safety — not making money.” KOMO 4 NEWS, Jan 4, 2008, Seattle adding more red-light cameras, http://www.komonews.com/news/12987012.html
Or this: “Red light cameras are popping up everywhere, turning red to ‘green.’ Auburn brought in $160,000 in that system’s first six months.
Lynnwood took in $300,000 in the first three months. KING 5 News, Monday, November 5, 2007, Do red light cameras really make streets safer?
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_110507WAB_red_light_cameras_SW.1e
013c5e2.html#
Or this from Aberdeen’s Mayor Bill Simpson: “With the initiative looming, Simpson said there is ‘no guarantee’ right now that the city would receive the money generated from the red light cameras, so putting the decision on hold made sense.” Daily World, Saturday, February 16, 2008, http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/02/17/local_news/04news.txt.
A successful initiative in Cincinnati, Ohio recently qualified for the ballot and it asks voters to prohibit red light cameras.
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/24/2466.asp
We didn’t feel banning red light cameras was politically educational enough. We asked ourselves: how can we show voters which cities are putting them up for profit and which for safety? Not by prohibiting them, but by removing the profit motive by dedicating red light camera profits to the “Reduce Traffic Congestion Account” which will fund I-985’s common sense policies. By removing the government’s profit motive, we knew we would learn which cities are doing them for safety and which for money.
Mayor Johnson has exposed Wenatchee’s motivation as profit. It’s only fair for voters to hear from the other cities with red light camera profit centers — elected officials in those cities should answer the
question: what is your city’s plan should voters approve I-985?
Email me your responses by the end of the week.
Regards, Tim Eyman, ph: 425-493-9127, email: tim_eyman@comcast.net
TO: Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels
TO: Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis
TO: Seattle council members: Richard Conlin, Tim Burgess, Sally Clark, Jan Drago, Jean Godden, Bruce Harrell, Nick Licata, Richard McIver, and Tom Rasmussen greg.nickels@seattle.gov; richard.conlin@seattle.gov; tim.burgess@seattle.gov; sally.clark@seattle.gov; jan.drago@seattle.gov; jean.godden@seattle.gov; bruce.harrell@seattle.gov; nick.licata@seattle.gov; richard.mciver@seattle.gov; tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov; tim.ceis@seattle.gov;
TO: Puyallup Mayor Don Malloy
TO: Puyallup Deputy Mayor George Dill
TO: Puyallup council members: Tami Brouillet, Mike Deal, Rick Hansen, John D. Knutsen, and Kathy Turner dmalloy@ci.puyallup.wa.us; gdill@ci.puyallup.wa.us; tbrouillet@ci.puyallup.wa.us; mdeal@ci.puyallup.wa.us; rhansen@ci.puyallup.wa.us; kturner@ci.puyallup.wa.us
TO: Lakewood Mayor Douglas G. Richardson
TO: Lakewood Deputy Mayor Don Anderson
TO: Lakewood council members: Pad Finnigan, Walter Neary, Helen McGovern, Ron Cronk, and Claudia Thomas DRichardson@cityoflakewood.us; DAnderson@cityoflakewood.us; Council@CityofLakewood.us; pfinnigan@cityoflakewood.us; wneary@cityoflakewood.us; hmcgovern@cityoflakewood.us; rcronk@cityoflakewood.us; CThomas@cityoflakewood.us
TO: Lynnwood Mayor Don Gough
TO: Lynnwood council members: Loren Simmonds, Mark Smith, Stephanie Wright, Ted Hikel, Jim Smith, Lisa Utter, and Ruth Ross dgough@ci.lynnwood.wa.us; ssimpson@ci.lynnwood.wa.us; lsimmonds@ci.lynnwood.wa.us; marksmith@ci.lynnwood.wa.us; swright@ci.lynnwood.wa.us; thikel@ci.lynnwood.wa.us; jimsmithcfi@msn.com; lutter@ci.lynnwood.wa.us
TO: Spokane Mayor Mary Verner
TO: Spokane council members: Al French, Nancy McLaughlin, Joe Shogan, Bob Apple, Steve Corker, Richard Rush, and Michael Allen mayor@spokanecity.org; afrench@spokanecity.org; nmclaughlin@spokanecity.org; jshogan@spokanecity.org; bapple@spokanecity.org; scorker@spokanecity.org; rrush@spokanecity.org; mallen@spokanecity.org;
TO: Aberdeen Mayor Bill Simpson
TO: Aberdeen city council members: Denny Lawrence, Bob McCullough, Margo Shortt, Paul Fritts, Alice Phelps, John Smith, James Cook, John Erak, Jerry Mills, Kathi Hoder, Tim Alstrom, and Doug Paling mayor@aberdeeninfo.com; wasimpson1@juno.com; paratex@olynet.com; jrcooks@msn.com; douglaspaling@hotmail.com; talstrom@msn.com; pfritts@techline.com; shorttstuff@clearwire.net; licensing@techline.com; johnerak@comcast.net; bobstonewall@netzero.net; 6thward@comcast.net
TO: Wenatchee Mayor Dennis Johnson
TO: Wenatchee city council members: Jim Bailey, Craig Larsen, Karen Rutherford, Doug Miller, Doug Kulaas, Don Gurnard, and Carolyn Case DJohnson@WenatcheeWA.Gov; CLarsen@WenatcheeWA.Gov; JBailey@WenatcheeWA.Gov; DMiller@WenatcheeWA.Gov; dgunard@wenatcheewa.gov; KRutherford@WenatcheeWA.Gov; MKulaas@WenatcheeWA.Gov; CCase@WenatcheeWA.Gov; AWilliams@WenatcheeWA.Gov
TO: Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman
TO: Bremerton City Council members: Brad Gehring, Cecil McConnell, Adam C.
Brockus, Roy Runyon, Mike Shepherd, Dianne Robinson, Carol Arends, Will Maupin, and Nick Wofford mayor@ci.bremerton.wa.us; citycouncil@ci.bremerton.wa.us; @ci.bremerton.wa.us
TO: Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard
To: Vancouver City Council members: Pat Jollota, Dan Tonkovich, Jeanne Harris, Jeanne Stewart, Tim Leavitt, and Larry Smith mayor@ci.vancouver.wa.us; Pat.Jollota@ci.vancouver.wa.us; Dan.Tonkovich@ci.vancouver.wa.us; Jeanne.Harris@ci.vancouver.wa.us; Jeanne.Stewart@ci.vancouver.wa.us; Tim.Leavitt@ci.vancouver.wa.us; Larry.Smith@ci.vancouver.wa.us; pat.mcdonnell@ci.vancouver.wa.us; betsy.williams@ci.vancouver.wa.us
TO: Lake Forest Park Mayor David R. Hutchinson
TO: Lake Forest Park Mayor pro tempore Dwight Thompson
TO: Lake Forest Park City Council members: Don Fiene, Alan Kiest, Sandy Koppenol, Catherine Stanford, Ed Sterner, and Donovan Tracy MayorDave@cityoflfp.com; DThompson@cityoflfp.com; AKiest@cityoflfp.com; CStanford@cityoflfp.com; SKoppenol@cityoflfp.com; DFiene@cityoflfp.com; ESterner@cityoflfp.com; DTracy@cityoflfp.com
TO: Renton Mayor Denis Law
TO: Renton City Council members: Marcie Palmer, Council President, Randy Corman, Council President Pro Tem, Don Persson, Terri Briere, King Parker, Greg Taylor, and Rich Zwicker dlaw@ci.renton.wa.us; mpalmer@ci.renton.wa.us; rcorman@ci.renton.wa.us; dpersson@ci.renton.wa.us; tbriere@ci.renton.wa.us; gtaylor@ci.renton.wa.us; rzwicker@ci.renton.wa.us;
TO: Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis
TO: Auburn City Council members: Sue Singer, Lynn Norman, Nancy Backus, Bill Peloza, Gene Cerino, Rich Wagner, and Virginia Haugen plewis@auburnwa.gov; ssinger@auburnwa.gov; lnorman@auburnwa.gov; nbackus@auburnwa.gov; bpeloza@auburnwa.gov; gcerino@auburnwa.gov; rwagner@auburnwa.gov; vhaugen@auburnwa.gov
TO: Sammamish Mayor Lee Fellinge
TO: Sammamish Deputy Mayor Don Gerend
TO: Sammamish City Council members: Michele Petitti, Kathy Huckabay, Jack Barry, Nancy Whitten, and Mark Cross lfellinge@ci.sammamish.wa.us; dgerend@ci.sammamish.wa.us; mpetitti@ci.sammamish.wa.us; khuckabay@ci.sammamish.wa.us; jbarry@ci.sammamish.wa.us; nwhitten@ci.sammamish.wa.us; mcross@ci.sammamish.wa.us
TO: Lacey Mayor Graeme Sackrison
TO: Lacey Deputy Mayor John Darby
TO: Lacey City Council members: Ann Burgman, Virgil Clarkson, Mary Dean, Jason Hearn, and Tom Nelson council@ci.lacey.wa.us;
TO: Federal Way Mayor Jack Dovey
TO: Federal Way Deputy Mayor Eric Faison
TO: Federal Way City Council members: Mike Park, Jim Ferrell, Jeanne Burbidge, Dini Duclos, and Linda Kochmar jack.dovey@cityoffederalway.com; eric.faison@cityoffederalway.com; michael.park@cityoffederalway.com; jim.ferrell@cityoffederalway.com; jeanne.burbidge@cityoffederalway.com; Dini.Duclos@cityoffederalway.com; linda.kochmar@cityoffederalway.com
TO: Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma
TO: Tacoma Deputy Mayor Spiro Manthou
TO: Tacoma City Council members: Rick Talbert, Julie Anderson, Marilyn Strickland, Jake Fey, Connie Ladenburg, Mike Lonergan, and Lauren Walker bbaarsma@cityoftacoma.org; Spiro.Manthou@cityoftacoma.org; rtalbert@cityoftacoma.org; Julie.Anderson@cityoftacoma.org; mstrickland@cityoftacoma.org; jfey@cityoftacoma.org; cladenbu@cityoftacoma.org; mlonerga@cityoftacoma.org; lwalker2@cityoftacoma.org
TO: SeaTac Mayor Ralph Shape
TO: SeaTac Deputy Mayor Gene Fisher
TO: SeaTac City Council members: Chris Wythe, Terry Anderson, Tony Anderson, Joe Brennan, and Mia Gregerson rshape@ci.seatac.wa.us; gfisher@ci.seatac.wa.us; gfisher4@q.com; cwythe@ci.seatac.wa.us; chriswythe@hotmail.com; tanderson@ci.seatac.wa.us; tonyanderson1@comcast.net; jbrennan@ci.seatac.wa.us; mgregerson@ci.seatac.wa.us
TO: Issaquah Mayor Ava Frisinger
TO: Issaquah Deputy Council President Fred Butler
TO: Issaquah City Council members: Council President Maureen McCarry, David Kappler, John Traeger, Joshua Schaer, John Rittenhouse, and Eileen Barber avaf@ci.issaquah.wa.us; fredb@ci.issaquah.wa.us; maureenm@ci.issaquah.wa.us; davidk@ci.issaquah.wa.us; johnt@ci.issaquah.wa.us; joshuas@ci.issaquah.wa.us; johnr@ci.issaquah.wa.us; eileenb@ci.issaquah.wa.us;
TO: Mountlake Terrace Mayor Jerry E. Smith
TO: Mountlake Terrace Mayor Pro Tem Laura Sonmore
TO: Mountlake Terrace City Council members: John Zambrano, Kyoko Matsumoto Wright, Michelle Robles, Rick Ryan, and Michelle Angrick cityhall@ci.mlt.wa.us;
TO: Bellevue Mayor Grant Degginger
TO: Bellevue City Council members: Claudia Balducci, Patsy Bonincontri, John Chelminiak, Don Davidson, Conrad Lee, and Phil Noble council@bellevuewa.gov; ssahandy@bellevuewa.gov
TO: Everett Mayor Ray Stephenson
TO: Everett City Council members: Paul Roberts, Mark Olson, Arlan Hatloe, Ron Gipson, Drew Nielsen, Brenda Stonecipher and Shannon Affholter.
RStephenson@ci.everett.wa.us; kreardon@ci.everett.wa.us; mlunz@ci.everett.wa.us; dwilliams@ci.everett.wa.us; PRoberts@ci.everett.wa.us; MOlson@ci.everett.wa.us; AHatloe@ci.everett.wa.us; RGipson@ci.everett.wa.us; DNielsen@ci.everett.wa.us; BStonecipher@ci.everett.wa.us; SAffholter@ci.everett.wa.us;
Even if I diidn’t vote against every Eyman initiative as a matter of principal (still bitter after 695 passed), this statement would do it for me: “Mayors and City Council members for the cities with red light camera profit centers.” He’s unnecessarily combative in his dealings and judging by his closing sentence, he’s obviously forgotten that his mommy taught him to say “please” when requesting something.
Aside from that, he doesn’t appear to trust the city residents to trust their city councils and to stay actively involved about such things should they be unhappy. Okay, maybe this is a valid concern in Seattle where the residents are worried about crime and the council is worried about saving the planet, but I still feel like cities should be able to work this out on an individual basis. Furthermore, I don’t see how he could send an email like that if he’d done his research to see where Renton is putting the funds from its red-light and speed cameras. The way he makes it sound, cities are buying new furniture for the mayor’s office and steak for the cafeteria at City Hall. I think Renton’s choice of using any monies generated towards more speed enforcement is a good thing. And if he doesn’t like that, then I’d want to ask him why he’s against a.) public safety and b.) enforcing laws. If he thinks speed limits are bad laws, then he needs to fight that separately, but I can’t understand why anyone would fight the fact that rules need to be enforced. (At least, I’m assuming that most people would agree so if someone broke another law and, say, broke into their house.)
In any event, I’m never quite sure where the heck Eyman is coming from, but I don’t think it’s about protecting the taxpayer.
don’t we cities get “sovreignty” or something like that
Why should Eyeman get the authority to decide where Renton or any other city puts it’s traffic camera dollars? If the city council has decided the funds go into the general fund, then so be it.
We don’t go telling Mukilteo what they should do in Eyeman’s neighborhoods.
Re: don’t we cities get “sovreignty” or something like that
Oh yeah????
*I* tell Eyeman what to do every night.
AND HE LIKES IT!
the flip side of the revenues question
It should have been a requirement that only a Washington-based company could be awarded the red light camera contract. At least that would create jobs here. Likewise, we should so the same with the emissions testing. They change companies like dirty underwear, but never a Washington company. Keep the jobs here, elected officials. It’s something like the Military awarding a contract to Air Bus instead of Boeing, only on a smaller scale.