Needing the money

Canton Mayor William Healy wants traffic enforcement cameras, to help balance the city’s books.  In his 2013 budget proposal released in June, he said fines from cameras could bring in a million dollars to offset some of the $3-point-7-million dollar budget deficit projected for next year.

Council must approve

City Council is to vote in its September 17^th meeting on Healy’s plan to use a private contractor, Australian-owned RedFlex Traffic Systems to operate seven cameras around school zones and at traffic lights in Canton.  Four would be in fixed locations and three would be portable.  The city and RedFlex would divvy up revenue from fines on a roughly 60-40 basis. A similar idea three years ago was dropped amid broad public protest.   But, 5^th Ward Councilman Kevin Fisher, who opposes the cameras, says growing budget woes changed things.  “My math shows me that there’s not going to be a vote either way greater than seven – two.  And I happen to believe it will end up being a tie vote.” 

Tie breaker

Council President Allen Schulman breaks ties.  In 2008 he opposed traffic enforcement cameras saying they are “an assault on the right to privacy.”  Voters in Ohio have been mixed on enforcement cameras. For example, just recently they were rejected in Garfield Heights, and accepted in East Cleveland.