There is a $30 fee attached to all red light tickets in the county.
A bill passed by the Suffolk County Legislature earlier this month ended the extra $30 administrative fee for red-light camera tickets. The bill, introduced by Lawmaker Rob Trotta (R), is expected to be signed into law and take effect in 2023.
The bill passed by a 12-6 vote, avoiding a veto by the county executive.
In a statement issued by the Suffolk County Legislature, Trota was outspoken about his feelings about the fee.
“Suffolk County has the worst financial outlook of all 62 counties, and this illegal fee appears to not only cost thousands of people, but not improve the county’s financial situation at all,” Trotta said. “This is nothing more than a backdoor tax on residents, hidden behind improved public safety.”
The county approved red light cameras in 2009 and installed the first cameras in 2010.
A study Commissioned by the government in 2017, it found that during two study periods (before and after enforcement) of the 100-location red-light camera program, crashes increased by 60 percent, from 3,515 pre-enforcement to 5,612 post-enforcement.
There was no change in the number of crashes involving fatalities, but the authors said it was difficult to predict because fatal crashes are statistically rare. In conclusion, the study’s authors did state that they found a correlation between the red light camera program and a reduction in crash severity at the study sites.
Suffolk County Speaker Legis said that reducing the economic pressure on residents is one of the tenets of the Republican Party that controls the legislature. Kevin McCaffrey (right).
“As we took over this Legislature, one of my commitments as Speaker was to look at this program with fresh eyes and find better ways to improve the county’s finances through good government and smarter spending, and Not to put the burden on taxpayers,” McCaffrey said. “Lawmaker Trotta’s bill is a big step in that direction.”
