Morning Update

Former County Commissioner Pinkston is asking Knox County to pick up the legal bill for defending himself in an ouster suit:

“I’m not guilty of anything,” said the South Knox Countian, who is no longer in office, having been defeated in last year’s election. He said former Law Director John Owings told him that the county would pay his fees if he won the case.

A round-up of red light camera news in the state legislature where there are three primary bills between the House and Senate:

• Rep Ryan Haynes (a Knox County YR) has one to eliminate the rolling right turn on red violation state wide.
• Senator Stacey Campfield introduced a bill that is basically the same as Haynes, but applied to Knox County only.
• Rep John Ragan filed House Bill 33, which would require 95 percent of revenue from red-light cameras be earmarked “solely for educational needs.” That would likely eliminate the cameras from a practical standpoint by removing the revenue incentive the cameras have.

See the following for details: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jan/23/et-legislators-look-curb-camera-fines/ and http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13892822

They do face some obstacles according to this article: http://www.wdef.com/news/bills_aimed_at_traffic_cameras_face_obstacles_in_general_aseembly/01/2011

Traffic camera bill filed in the State Senate

From Tennessee Ledger:

SB0097 filed by Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) prohibits traffic surveillance cameras that monitor speed to be implemented after July 1, 2011; allows existing traffic surveillance cameras that monitor speed to be used until their contract expires.

Interestingly, this is only for speed cameras not red-light cameras. The only speed camera I know about in this area is in Oak Ridge.

Red-light camera program wants $944K from unpaid tickets

It’s all about the money – wait – I mean safety.

The Knoxville Police Department’s red-light camera program sent 8,000 unpaid tickets for collection in 2009, a figure that represents $944,000 in fines and court costs if the tickets were paid.

Unpaid citations are turned over to a collection agency, which attempts to collect the fines and court costs by letter and phone, said KPD Capt. Gordon Catlett, who oversees the camera program. For each citation turned over to collections, the drivers must pay the $50 for the citation and $68 for court costs.

via Red-light camera program sets sights on $944K.