Fees and penalties drive traffic ticket costs through the roof

[ilbegone]

Law allows Corona to process red-light camera tickets, officials learn

October 28, 2009

By LESLIE PARRILLA
The Press-Enterprise

Corona city officials learned Wednesday that they could legally and financially process red-light camera traffic tickets through the city to lower the $446 fine, which many drivers consider excessive.

The council listened to staff reports about the city's red-light camera program at a study session that compared costs of processing tickets through the city versus through the state.

Corona's red-light camera program began five months ago and has cameras installed at four intersections.

The council has been discussing processing citations administratively, through the city, instead of through the state, to reduce the $446 fine. Mayor Steve Nolan proposed the idea to alleviate the financial burden on people unable to pay the hefty fee in the bad economy.

"I'm just happy we know we have the right to do this," Nolan said. "We're not making as much money, but we can cover the cost of the program."

Legally, the state vehicle code allows the city to consider red-light camera citations a violation of its municipal code, according to information presented at the meeting. But that interpretation of state law could be challenged.

Financially, figures presented at the meeting showed that the city would generate about $777,000 a year if it did not change the system and allowed the state to continue processing the tickets.

If the city started processing the citations and lowered the fine to $100, that revenue would drop to $23,115.

Mayor Pro Tem Karen Spiegel voiced concerns that the revenue would be lower than the rough projections or even that the program would cost the city money, and taxpayers would be left footing the bill for other people's traffic violations.

Spiegel -- who has received a red-light camera citation -- also was concerned that a lower fee would be less effective as a deterrent.

"If it's a $100 citation, you will have more violations because I know it's easier for me to get to that meeting and cost me $100 than to be late. If we're talking safety, we're not going to have that same effect when there are not as much teeth in that violation," Spiegel said.

The city based its estimates on issuing $100 citations, generating 16,000 citations a year, paying $350,000 annually to the camera vendor and paying for staff time and collection expenses.

The city currently receives $132 per violation with the state processing the tickets.

The council did not take any action at the study session and plans to continue studying the issue.