Finance Panel Sends Measure to Council
Members of the Santa Fe City Council’s Finance Committee had tough questions Monday night for a representative from Redflex Traffic Systems, the largest red light-camera company in the world. But the committee voted unanimously to send the proposal to the full council, meaning Santa Fe is one step closer to cameras going up at busy intersections.
Redf lex’s Darren Kolack f lew through a presentation packed with stats and demonstrations. The crux of his argument: For no upfront capital investment, Redflex’s systems can change the city’s driving habits, making the streets safer and substantially reducing the number of car accidents at intersections.
According to Santa Fe police Capt. Anthony Robbin, there were 487 injury crashes in Santa Fe last year. Kolack said his “conservative” estimate for a year with cameras in place would be a reduction by 98 accidents.
Robbin said the fine for a red light violation would be $66, and 25 percent to 30 percent of that money would go to Redflex. Kolack touted his company as “100 percent violator funded.”
That claim raised questions.
Councilor Carmichael Dominguez said he needed to be convinced the cameras wouldn’t exist simply to make money.
“The reality is we want to put you out of business,” he told Kolack.
Kolack said the company usually sees quick returns on its investment — Robbin estimated 66 people would be cited per day before the cameras begin to work as a deterrent.
“If our bean counters get it right, we’ve already had a return by the time this becomes like a tool,” Kolack said.
Redflex wasn’t exactly bidding for Santa Fe’s business Monday night. Robbin, Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger and Councilor Ronald Trujillo were sponsors of the ordinance to put cameras up in Santa Fe. Redflex sent Kolack to make the case for the system itself. Redflex has cameras up in 21 states and 220 cities, Kolack said. The company also does business in several countries around the world.
Trujillo has been adamant about the need for this technology in the City Different.
“You’ve seen driving habits,” he told the committee. “I don’t want any of you to become a statistic.”
Wurzburger said she thinks this is a necessary step for Santa Fe’s streets because “we have gotten out of control as a community. Living here, I see people speeding. I used to feel much more safe.”
Trujillo said he has been rear-ended by a drunken driver at an intersection and that the impact damaged his wife’s ear.
“Had my truck not been there, he’d have gone through that red light,” Trujillo said.
Robbin’s statistics said there were three fatalities from intersection accidents in Santa Fe last year.
“It’s time to embrace the technology,” Trujillo said. “Public safety is the most important thing we can give our constituents.”
Before approving the ordinance and sending it before the full council, the Finance Committee called for the following conditions:
A review of the ordinance in one year.
The program must cost the city no money.
Any profit from violator fees goes directly to the Santa Fe Police Department.
