A Suffolk lawmaker is pushing for an immediate end to the county's red-light camera program.
County residents upset by the program voiced their frustrations to county legislators Tuesday at a public meeting. The residents say the red-light program does nothing to enhance public safety. Instead, they say it is an attempt by the county to make money on the backs of its residents.
The public hearing was held in response to a bill recently introduced by Suffolk Legislator Robert Trotta (R-Fort Solanga). In the bill, he calls for the suspension of the program, citing reports that show rear-end crashes have increased 42 percent at spots where cameras are present.
Trotta says he's not against red-light cameras, in theory, especially for those who dangerously run red lights. He says he is against ticketing people for safely making right turns at red lights, which he says makes up the majority of tickets that are nothing more than "taxation and citation."
Suffolk's red-light cameras generated more than 400,000 tickets in 2014 and drivers paid $33 million in fines. Trotta says the bill will be voted on next week.