City councilor may save red-light camera program

EFFORT TO TRY AND SAVE THE RED-LIGHT CAMERAS. A CITY COUNCILOR WANTS ALBUQUERQUE TO PASS ITS O...  More »

EFFORT TO TRY AND SAVE THE RED-LIGHT CAMERAS. A CITY COUNCILOR WANTS ALBUQUERQUE TO PASS ITS OWN BILL THAT WOULD FUNNEL SOME MONEY FROM THE FINES TO THE STATE -- TO PERSUADE THE GOVERNOR FROM SIGNING A HARSHER BILL SITTING ON HIS DESK RIGHT NOW. JEFF MAHER IS LIVE WITH WHY CITY LEADERS THINK THEY CAN MAKE A DEAL WITH THE GOVERNOR. CITY COUNCILOR KEN SANCHEZ SAYS IF HIS LEGISLATION IS PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL--- THE STATE WOULD STILL GET A LOT OF CASH--- BUT THE CITY WOULD KEEP A LITTLE MORE--- TO KEEP THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS.ON. 'I'm leaning toward signing the bill, but I had a good meeting with councilor Sanchez' GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON HAS UNTIL MARCH 5TH TO MAKE A DECISION ON A BILL THAT WOULD GIVE MOST OF THE RED-LIGHT CAMERA MONEY TO THE STATE TO BE USED FOR DWI PROGRAMS AND TO PAY FOR THE METRO COURTHOUSE. CITY LEADERS SAY THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY RUN OUT OF MONEY FOR THE PROGRAM. BUT TODAY COUNCILOR KEN SANCHEZ MAY HAVE BOUGHT THE CITY SOME MORE TIME - AND MAYBE, A COMPROMISE. 'the state would still get some of the money but it would make the program whole for the city of albuquerque to cover the administrative costs because in the state legislation, the city gets no money to administer the program' ON MONDAY, SANCHEZ WILL BE INTRODUCING SOME NEW LEGISLATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THE CITY SAYS IT NEEDS ABOUT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS EACH YEAR TO RUN THE PROGRAM - WHICH PAYS FOR OPERATIONAL COSTS--- INCLUDING HEARINGS AND THE MONEY THEY HAVE TO PAY REDFLEX - - WHICH OPERATES THE CAMERAS. UNDER SANCHEZ'S PROPOSAL, THE CITY WOULD GET THAT MONEY - BUT ANYTHING EXTRA WOULD GO TO THE STATE. BASED ON LAST YEAR- THAT'S ABOUT TWO MILLION BUCKS. THE CITY SAYS THE STATE BILL WOULD ONLY LEAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY REDFLEX. SANCHEZ ALSO WANTS SOME OF THE SPEEDING FINES LOWERED BUT NOT HAVE A CAP - UNDER THE STATE'S BILL, DRIVERS WOULD FACE A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF 75- DOLLARS NO MATTER HOW FAST THEY'RE GOING. 'once someone is driving through that intersection at 75 or even 100 miles per hour, they should be penalized, and the fine should be greater than 75 dollars''so I'll wait, I'll hear the mayor, I'll see what happens with this bill that's going to be introduced with the city council and then make a final decision'MAYOR CHAVEZ WOULD NOT COMMENT ABOUT THE NEW LEGISLATION OR TODAY'S MEETING. HE SAYS HE WANTS TO WAIT ON THAT UNTIL TOMORROW - THAT'S WHEN HE'LL BE MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE. LIVE AT CITY HALL. JEFF MAHER. EYEWITNESS NEWS FOUR.  « Less