Mitch Landrieu, a turd in a suit (1 Viewer)

[El Caliente]

I guess the ends justify the means on this one? More cameras will lead to roads getting fixed? I know that I have donated my fair share of street fixing money at about 4:30pm around Stuart Hall. These cameras are a joke, and the city using more of them is an even bigger joke. The fact that a company in AZ is the one processing all of this (and not a firm in the city, let alone the state) is the biggest laugher of them all.

Mitch Landrieu pushes back against camera enforcement critics | NOLA.com

Mayor Mitch Landrieu is pushing back hard on perceptions that the city's red light and speed camera program is a money grab, just as New Orleans is poised to double the number of cameras -- especially near school zones.

Landrieu is insistent that the cameras are installed as a matter of public safety, saying that "the state of Louisiana and the people who drive here are the worst drivers in America." He pointed to federal agencies who have ranked Louisiana high for accidents.

"We do not behave well behind the wheel, and as a consequence, we threaten each other's lives," Landrieu said during a meeting with the NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune's editorial board on Monday (Oct. 17). "You don't need a study to see that in New Orleans. You could go on any intersection in the city of New Orleans right now and see somebody saying 'Wahoo, I have a yellow light and I'll try to go as fast as I possibly can to not get caught.' ... Those behavior patterns create a lot of unsafety on the streets of New Orleans."

 

[whoah whoah]

I'd rather he just raise taxes somewhere else. At least the city would keep 100% of the proceeds...

 

[saintfan]

I guess the ends justify the means on this one? More cameras will lead to roads getting fixed? I know that I have donated my fair share of street fixing money at about 4:30pm around Stuart Hall. These cameras are a joke, and the city using more of them is an even bigger joke. The fact that a company in AZ is the one processing all of this (and not a firm in the city, let alone the state) is the biggest laugher of them all.

I find Landrieus' comments interesting and contrary to what he is saying about the reason for installing the cameras. I listened to the news yesterday where several city council members were interviewed, and most (but not all) said that the cameras would help increase revenue for the city. None of them, not one, said anything about public safety.

I also find it interesting that in most cases the public is not given the option of a vote on such a controversial issue. In the 2 or 3 cases in which the public in other communities did vote, they overwhelming rejected the cameras.

The public can see through this rouse, they know it is a revenue grab and nothing more. Unfortunately it becomes an increased tax on the local population rather than visitors.

 

[MarleyBob87]

I think the proper term is turd sandwich

 

[Zack Lee]

repugnant.

 

[Zack Lee]

Ex-city official convicted on 20 counts in red light cameras trial - Chicago Tribune

Im not saying, but Im definately sayin. Is this the same company? I know ours is based in Arizona.

 

[Brennan77]

I find Landrieus' comments interesting and contrary to what he is saying about the reason for installing the cameras. I listened to the news yesterday where several city council members were interviewed, and most (but not all) said that the cameras would help increase revenue for the city. None of them, not one, said anything about public safety.

I also find it interesting that in most cases the public is not given the option of a vote on such a controversial issue. In the 2 or 3 cases in which the public in other communities did vote, they overwhelming rejected the cameras.

The public can see through this rouse, they know it is a revenue grab and nothing more. Unfortunately it becomes an increased tax on the local population rather than visitors.

It's all about the money and they've never said otherwise. When the cameras were threatened a while back, Mitch moaned about the loss of revenue. And this increase in camera numbers was unveiled as part of the funding for the new city budget. It's a scam designed to take advantage of working people who cannot afford to not pay the fine. I hate this city sometimes. My car was towed last month for being legally parked in front of my own home. The city decided to demolish a HANO property across the street with no notice while I was away on vacation. Ugh.

 

[Brennan77]

I'd rather he just raise taxes somewhere else. At least the city would keep 100% of the proceeds...

I'm actually all about this. Just tax me. It'd be more honest. I can't stand the predatory parking enforcement either. They will flat out lie to write you a ticket. I'd like to know what their incentive structure is that encourages them to be so aggressive.

 

[mb504]

I know that I have donated my fair share of street fixing money at about 4:30pm around Stuart Hall.

Do you mean the school zone camera for the other school a few blocks down on Carrollton? The camera is still there but it's not a school zone any more because the school is closed. I do think the camera was set for school zone times months after the school closed, of course. I once had the light flash on me on Mardi Gras day and was prepared to fight that one but fortunately they didn't even bother to send a ticket.

Honestly I don't have too much of a problem with many of the speed cameras. People really should slow down for school zones (though the time periods could be a little more focused) and there aren't that many streets where you can actually drive 10 mph over a non-school zone speed limit without worrying about your car's suspension being totally destroyed by the, uh, charming streets. The red light cameras at busy intersections with lots of people turning (i.e. Carrollton and Canal) do bother me because I feel like I have to make an exaggerated show of stopping before the crosswalk for the camera and that's just an unnatural way to drive.

For him to say any of this is about "safety" rather than pure revenue is a joke.

 

[mb504]

I'd rather he just raise taxes somewhere else. At least the city would keep 100% of the proceeds...

But where? I think New Orleans already has the highest sales tax rate in the United States (!) after the state hiked its portion. The property taxes are pretty high. What's left? The hotel taxes for tourists are already close to 20%, how high can you realistically make that without killing the industry? Bringing back the old annual "movable" tax they used to charge just for owning a car? Some kind of income tax for working in the city? Do you want to just take the change out of my cup holder every week or something?

 

[Domefan504]

Jefferson Parish got rid of those cameras pretty quick after the lawsuits started coming.

 

[rob22278]

So a liberal democrat mayor wants to expand one of the biggest regressive tax burdens available in a city with a 25%+ poverty rate? Color me shocked.

 

[Brennan77]

Do you mean the school zone camera for the other school a few blocks down on Carrollton? The camera is still there but it's not a school zone any more because the school is closed. I do think the camera was set for school zone times months after the school closed, of course. I once had the light flash on me on Mardi Gras day and was prepared to fight that one but fortunately they didn't even bother to send a ticket.

Honestly I don't have too much of a problem with many of the speed cameras. People really should slow down for school zones (though the time periods could be a little more focused) and there aren't that many streets where you can actually drive 10 mph over a non-school zone speed limit without worrying about your car's suspension being totally destroyed by the, uh, charming streets. The red light cameras at busy intersections with lots of people turning (i.e. Carrollton and Canal) do bother me because I feel like I have to make an exaggerated show of stopping before the crosswalk for the camera and that's just an unnatural way to drive.

For him to say any of this is about "safety" rather than pure revenue is a joke.

It's the red light ones that bother me the most. I refuse to take a right on red if I know there's a camera there anymore. I got about 3 of them at Carrollton and Canal. I came to a clear stop then slowly rolled into the crosswalk so I could see, then I went ahead with my turn. Now I just let the people blow their horns at me, including the police that use the shoulder as an unofficial turning lane. Geez this makes me mad.

 

[El Caliente]

It is the school zone ones that have me. I speed when I am on the highway, but not in residential areas, and when school is in session I follow the speed limit, but I have received a few tickets where I am going no more than 5 miles over the limit, in a school zone, at 4:30pm, and once when it was a holiday when school wasn't even in session.

I haven't had happen to me what happened to our friend Brennan, but stuff like that is just criminal. How are you going to ticket somebody when they are parked in front of their own house, and they never received prior notice. Its crap like that which drives people out to living in Metairie.

The city doesn't know whats good for it, because if they did they would know they have been in the wrong for at least the last 2 years (I have only been here for 2 years, so perhaps longr).

 

[wnelson]

I just avoid OP unless I have to go there. The crime and the city government have made it clear that my tax dollars are best served in JP