WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |Traffic camera ban fails

Traffic camera ban fails

By Caroline Moses - bio | email

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Some Louisiana legislators were hoping to outlaw the controversial red light cameras that are popping up all over our area, but a House committee killed the bill before it could go anywhere.

When New Orleans taxi cab driver Mahyar Kasram heard about legislation to ban red light cameras, he dropped everything to speak before a House transportation committee. "I feel like my heart attack has something to do with the anxiety of this thing," he said.

He and many other people against red light cameras told legislators the cameras are invasive and actually unsafe. "I call it a scam, folks. It is a scam and it is extortion!" said Joel Henderson of Lafayette. "The next generation is growing up with the sense that there's somebody always watching," said New Orleans driver Johnny Adriani.

The bill's author, Representative Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, says everyone should be allowed to vote on whether or not they have red light cameras. He says the vote would overwhelmingly go against them. "I just don't want to be that person when the public wakes up and says, 'You know what, we're sick and tired of this. Whose idea was this?'"

Representative Jack Montoucet, D-Crowley, says even though he got two tickets because of the cameras, he thinks it was a good idea because it helps maintain safe roads. "Made me more aware of my bad driving and that I need to take care of that," he said.

Enough legislators agree with him that the bill failed for the session. One cabby, though, is not finished fighting. "This thing is not going to fly."

Mayor Kip Holden and Baton Rouge Police Chief Jeff LeDuff also attended the committee meeting to speak in favor of red light cameras. They were not allowed to speak because legislators decided to stop the already lengthy debate.

Here's how legislators voted (A "yes" vote was a vote in FAVOR of banning the cameras):

DOWNS:   NO

ARMES:   NO

AUBERT:  YES

BILLIOT:   NO

H. BURNS:  YES

DIXON:  YES

DOERGE:   NO

FRANKLIN:  YES

GISCLAIR:  YES

GUINN:  YES

HOWARD:  NO

S. JONES:  YES

LITTLE:   NO

MONTOUCET:  NO

NORTON:  NO

POPE:   NO

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