Remember paying all those red-light camera tickets? The City Council spent most of the fine money collected since 2005 at the Monday, Feb. 1 meeting. Those dollars were allocated for upgrades to three fire stations, protective equipment for firefighters, 200 police cars and beefing up the party patrol. Last year about $8.5 million was collected from the 22 cameras around town. At an average $100 a pop, that’s a lot of drivers speeding through intersections. For every $100 ticket, Redflex Traffic Systems—the Arizona company that runs the camera program—gets about $28. The state pockets $37, and the city takes $35. The city’s cash goes toward one-time public safety expenditures and police traffic programs. The council allocated $3.9 million for more marked police cars, which cost about $40,000 each. And watch out, young partygoers—the party patrol netted a cool $80,000. Another half-million will be spent on fire and rescue protective equipment.The 80-year-old Fire Station 2 in the Huning Highlands neighborhood will get a little more than $1 million for a new building. Fire Station 7 on West Central took home $1 million for improvements, and Station 8 snagged $360,000 for a rescue paramedic unit in the Sandia Foothills neighborhood. But Fire Chief James Breen said it would be April 2011 before Station 8 has the paramedic unit up and running.Quote… Unquote, Inc., which runs public access channel 27 and Encantada TV on channel 26, had its four-year contract approved once and for all. On his way out the door, former Mayor Martin Chavez announced the city would accept applications for the job of running the stations. The decision was reversed by incoming Mayor Richard Berry. Quote… Unquote, Inc. has operated channel 27 since 1981.Albuquerque gained a little more open space by annexing 40 acres near Paradise Hills on the Westside. The land is in the general area of Rainbow between Paseo del Norte and Faciel NW.And councilors passed a resolution that the city will play nice with the University of New Mexico to develop a strong relationship and come up with a good transportation plan for the campus area. The two entities will form a transportation study group.
Council Bite: Red-Light Camera Cash Buys Police Cars
Camera Cash Buys Police Cars
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