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Monday, September 20, 2010

More flip-flopping in Wilson Co. (TN)

Last Monday night, the Mt. Juliet City Commission voted down a resolution by Mt. Juliet Mayor Linda Elam to do away with the city's controversial red light cameras. The interesting thing is that when the city originally entered into the outrageous contract with American Traffic Solutions (ATS), Elam was all for it. Now, after supposedly receiving numerous complaints from citizens and while running for State Representative for Tennessee's 57th District, she's suddenly against the cameras. It makes you wonder whether she's now truly against the red light cameras due to citizen complaints, or is she just against them in order to win votes in November ?? It appears there's more "flip-flopping" going on in Wilson Co.(TN)

Personally, I believe Mayor Elam should have done her homework before offering this resolution. According to an article on MtJulietNews.comAttempt to put brakes on red light cameras fails; Commission votes to keep red light enforcement, it would cost the city $375,000 to end the contract early as she proposed. In the midst of a recession and tight budgets for most government entities, why would an elected official consider a resolution that if passed amounts to flushing $375,000 down the toilet ?? Better yet, why did the city even consider the cameras in the first place and agree to a contract which gave ATS two-thirds of all the revenue the cameras generated ?? It raises serious questions about whether she's the best person to be the next State Representative for the 57th District in the Tennessee Legislature.

Since the city is stuck with the sorry cameras, the best solution at this time is to let the contract run its course. Then, the city's leaders should put more cops on the street, not cameras.
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