Shreveport Mayor Takes Fight for Speed Cameras to Baton Rouge
SHREVEPORT, LA - The fate of speed cameras is on shaky ground in Louisiana. The House Transportation Committee has passed a bill that would seriously limit the use of speed cameras around the state. The measure passed out of committee on a 7-5 vote.
Louisiana Legislature
Mayor Tom Arceneaux of Shreveport testified before the committee. The mayor says
"in the mornings we have 20-24 officers on patrol in Shreveport and during those hours, we typically have 8 incidents to which we send 2 officers. This leaves only a handful of officers available to run radar in school zones."
Mayor Arceneaux says we have also removed the repeal fee and there is no longer a fee. The appeals process has been changed. We also now have volunteer attorneys who serve as our appeals judges.
He told the panel changing behavior of motorists is the goal and it is working.
"People don't like to get speeding tickets. I don't like to get em either."
Shreveport Has Been Planning to Expand Cameras
Mayor Arceneaux says "we do not currently have speed cameras in other locations other than school zones. But we have identified 12 locations with chronic speed problems. Our week long study showed more than 50,000 folks going 10 miles over the speed limit in those locations."
Shreveport Representatives Steven Jackson, Joy Walters and Tammy Phelps serve on the Transportation Committee and they each asked questions about the speed camera program. Cameras are currently used in school zones in Shreveport. But both the Caddo Parish Commission and the Shreveport City Council have approved more speed cameras in areas where there have been several reports of speeding problems.
SB 99 by Senator Stewart Cathey completely bans speed cameras in all areas with the exception of school zones. If a community decides to use the cameras in school zones, there would be strict requirements. Extra signage and painting on the roads would be required.
Jackson voted to move the bill forward, while Walters and Phelps voted no.
Shreveport CAO Tom Dark told the committee it is very difficult to hire officers for all the vacancies we have.
We have changed behavior dramatically with these school zone cameras. Shreveport is getting about 50% less revenue now than we did the first year these cameras were put in place. We strongly urge you to defeat this bill.
But despite pleas from several local communities, the panel voted to move SB 99 forward to the full House. The bill has already passed in the Senate.
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