Manatee Pulls Plug on Red-Light Cameras For Now

Manatee County staffers recommended to County Commissioners – for the time being – that the county shut down the cameras designed to catch red-light runners.

“We’re not dropping the red light running issue,” said Commissioner Larry Bustle. “But to have it fall apart is a very disheartening thing.”

It “fell apart” last year when the Florida Legislature seized the bulk of the fines collected by the system that takes pictures of cars running red lights. A local law enforcement officer must analyze and approve every citation, meaning localities have costs associated beyond the contract with the company that runs the cameras.

With all of the costs, the county discovered that the program was running at a deficit locally. The county had to take money from its budget to pay for the contract and the oversight.

Manatee County led the state in efforts to get the read light cameras after former Rep. Ron Reagan introduced the bill known as the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program, on behalf of Bradenton’s Melissa Wandall, whose husband was killed by a red-light runner at State Road 70 and Tara Boulevard. Other cities and counties all over Florida also lobbied for years to get state approval for the cameras. 

But since the legislature changed the fine structure Manatee County is concerned it can no longer afford the program.

“I don’t want us to pursue this as a money-making machine,” said Commissioner Michael Gallen. “Maybe we could look at the City of Bradenton to see how they’re doing it.”

Even with the changes in the state law, the City of Bradenton continues to run the red light cameras it has in place.

Manatee’s 2009 contract with ACS State and Local Solutions called for a split of the revenues, with the company putting up most of the money for equipment and taking most of the financial proceeds.

As of July, the legislature made changes to the law requiring that most of the fine for red light runners go to the state and not to the localities. The fine for running a red light and being caught on camera is $158. Of the total fine, $100 goes to the state's general fund; $10 to the Department of Health Administrative Trust Fund and $3 is deposited into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund. Localities are allotted $45 per ticket, which they use to pay for the cost of law enforcement to review the photos and video for each violation and approve the ticket. The localities must also pay a contracted fee to the company that installs the program and collects the fines.

Other localities have also complained that the changes mean the red light cameras are costing them money. The $45 localities keep doesn't cover the costs of running the program. Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube told County Commissioners that he has to add a full time staff person to review photos and videos of red light runners, adding to the cost of the program.

“Tallahassee takes a huge bite out of this, and it’s impossible to make it work with them taking so much,” said Commissioner Robin Disabatino.

On Tuesday commissioners instructed county staff to stop trying to renegotiate its deal with ACS. The motion also instructed staff to “bring back the issue of red light cameras after the conclusion of the 2012 legislative session.”