Red Light Camera On Way Out:

In todays Grand Terrace City News you'll read the article about the Council giving notice to Redflex and the Citizens of Grand Terrace the Red Light Camera inforcement contract will be allowed to expire and there is no intention to extend the contract.

Some honesty came out of the Staff Presentation. The then City Manager Tom Schwab desired to gain not only public safety but a winfall of income for the city. The result of the scheme, and the miss management of funds by then Acting City Manager Steve Berry, resulted in excessive fines and fees paid by citizens, and added expense or costs to the City of Grand Terrace. The inflated fees were paid to a business not only out of Grand Terrace, and California, but OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

The then City Council did not listen to Citizen Comments when they voted to instal the camera inforcement and the contract. At least the reality has come to light, red light camera enforcement does not increase the safety or local economy. At least this Current Council isn't going to try to justify holding on to a bad idea of the past just because it is installed.

It may be time for other funding schemes of the past to be either adjusted or disclosed. The Home inspection fees for rentals was a scheme to pay for a Code Enforcement Officer that functioned as a city party planner. Let go the city party planner in the Code Enforcement Office for budget cuts, but what about the fees that were supposed to cover that cost. Is the City going to retire that scheme. The adiministration of the Rental Home Inspection costs the city. What has been the result of the effort other than justification of a fee collected, accounted for, paperwork and a salary and retirement payment or expense? The County Health Department can handle this function.