TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Email
Print
Sarasota County Considers Installing Red-Light Cameras
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: May 27, 2008
SARASOTA COUNTY - Red-light cameras could soon be coming to local intersections.
Tired of waiting for the state Legislature to make the cameras legal, county commissioners unanimously decided Tuesday to take a "small" legal risk to put the cameras at intersections on county roads. The next step is to hold a public hearing on a proposed ordinance, which has been written, on June 11.
County Attorney Stephen DeMarsh pointed out that a number of local governments – including Collier and Hillsborough counties – have gone ahead and adopted a red-light camera ordinance despite the absence of a state law to enforce it.
"I would say there is some legal risk," he said.
It would also be tougher to get people to pay their fines. Anyone who doesn't pay a fine on a violation that is part of state law can have their driver's license revoked. Without a state law, the only "teeth" that could go into the county's proposed ordinance are things like the revocation of library privileges or the inability to get a building permit.
Email
Print
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
