Fox 26 Houston - November 30, 2010
Lawyer To Step into Red Light Camera Fight
The citizens of Houston may get a voice in the legal battle over the status of the city's red light cameras. Randall and Francis Kubosh announced Tuesday morning they plan to file a motion to intervene in the federal lawsuit between American Traffic Solutions and the City of Houston.

Randall Kubosh says he fears the city may not be sufficiently motivated to defend the Nov. 2 decision by Houston voters to do away with red light cameras. ...  Read more

KTRK - Channel 13 - November 30, 2010
Red Light Camera Fight Continues
We have the latest developments in the ongoing saga involving red light cameras at intersections across Houston.

Voters wanted them out, but they're still operating. And while tickets are not being issued, voters still have a lot of questions as to what will happen next. ... "We're concerned that the city of Houston will not zealously defend this lawsuit," said Paul Kubosh." ...  Read more

KPRC - Channel 2 - November 3, 2010
Houston Votes To Turn Off Red-Light Cameras
Houston voters have given a "red light" to the city's 70 red-light cameras.

With almost all of the city's precincts reporting, 53 percent voted to turn off the cameras being used document motorists who run red lights, with 47 percent voting to keep using them.

The vote comes four years after the first cameras were activated in Houston and results from a battle waged by three brothers under the banner "Citizens Against Red Light Cameras." ...  Read more

Houston Chronicle - November 1, 2010
Attorney seeks monthly records on Houston wrecks
An open records lawsuit has been filed by a group urging voters to reject Houston's use of cameras that photograph drivers illegally going through intersections.

Attorney Randall Kallinen, representing bail bondsman Michael Kubosh and other opponents of the camera operation, says the lawsuit was filed Monday because the city has refused to release monthly reports on accident rates. ...  Read more

KOB-TV New Mexico - October 26, 2010
Red-light-cameras throughout Albuquerque on hiatus
Red-light-cameras around Albuquerque were shut off Tuesday morning but Mayor Richard Berry wants a few of those cameras to stay off for good. ... An eight month study conducted by UNM researchers produced evidence that while some types of accidents are down near the camera intersections other types had increased. ... Mayor Berry is hoping to shut down red-light-cameras at three intersections where the study found an increased number of accidents. ...  Read more

Blogs.Chron.com - October 19, 2010
Conflict of Interest on Red Light Cameras by Ed Schipul
The Houston Red Light Cameras, as currently implemented, are a bad idea for only one reason and that reason is MONEY. Beginning with the end in mind, if red light traffic enforcement removed all financial incentives to private or public entities to raise money and instead created incentives to get to zero-red-lights-run, zero-tickets-issued-to-citizens and zero-accidents then we might have a good safety program. ...  Read more

KCTV-5 Kansas City - October 15, 2010
Mo. Temporarily Suspends More Red-Light Cameras
Missouri will not approve any more red-light cameras on state highways until it reviews signs that some communities are using them more to collect revenue than to improve safety, the interim director of the state transportation department said. ...  Read more

KHOU-11 Houston - October 13, 2010
Houston's Red-Light Camera Fight Intensifies with Media Blitz
The manufacturer of Houston's controversial red-light cameras is funding virtually the entire campaign to convince voters to keep them. Campaign finance records show the PAC raised $245,000 by Oct 5. 92% of that money came from one donor: American Traffic Solutions. ...

Meanwhile, red-light camera opponents aren't broke, but they're clearly facing an uphill financial battle. Attorney Paul Kubosh is funding almost the entire opposition on his own. "I'm going to a gun fight with a knife," Kubosh said. "But by golly, I've got 'em bleeding."
 Read more

FOX 26 Houston - October 5, 2010
Battle Lines Drawn for Red Light Camera Vote
The battle lines have been drawn as voters in Harris County decide the future of red light cameras. ... Houston defense attorney Paul Kubosh says the cameras are nothing more than a new burden on drivers. He calls it a money making scheme for the city of Houston.
 Read more

Big Jolly Politics - October 5, 2010
Keep Houston Silent Gets Slapped: Red Light Camera Ban Remains on Houston Ballot
It was a bad week for Big Brother type government advocates and their pet programs like Red Light Cameras that they use to keep their hands in our pockets. But it was a great week for all citizens opposed to the ever-growing bottomless pit known as Big Government.
 Read more

CameraFraud.com - October 5, 2010
ATS Profit Over Safety Scheme Continues
Just follow the law and you'll have nothing to worry about, right? Someone should tell ATS about this little maxim. Breaking signage laws and operating as a vigilante ticketing scheme in Tucson isn't enough for ATS these days. Now they're taking their dangerous tactics to Baytown, TX. ATS, in a fit of jealously over Redflex's ability to shorten yellow light times in Paradise Valley, has been using the same tactic in Baytown, TX.

By shortening the yellow interval at several intersections, they are violating Texas state law TXDOT 707, but that doesn't concern a criminal organization. However, it should concern the citizens of Baytown. Recently the same illegal and dangerous shortening of yellow times was caught in League City, TX. That city was forced to pay back 1,700 tickets.
 Read more

WWL - AM 870 - October 1, 2010
Judge: Red light cams violate city charter
As of today any tickets issued by red light and speeding cameras in New Orleans are null and void. "Judge Paulette Irons today... issued a preliminary injunction enjoining and prohibiting the city from enforcing the red light camera system," Attorney Ed Washington said.
 Read more

Los Angeles Times - September 30, 2010
Put the brakes on red-light cameras
It's questionable whether the devices reduce accidents, and they certainly don't earn the city money.
An audit released Wednesday by City Controller Wendy Greuel turned up little evidence that cameras influence driver behavior. Accidents fell at 16 intersections in the six months after cameras were installed, but rose at 12 and stayed the same at four. That makes it pretty hard to make definitive conclusions either way. OK, but at least the cameras are generating revenue for the city, aren't they? Actually, no.
 Read more

FOX 26 Houston - September 29, 2010
Red Light Camera Opponents Celebrate Latest Victory
Opponents of Houston's red-light cameras declare a victory in their fight to ban the devices. A lawsuit filed to block a vote on red-light cameras was dropped in federal court.

"They were afraid to show their proof that they told City Council that they had, that this would dilute minority voting," attorney Paul Kubosh said.  Read more

Los Angeles Times - September 28, 2010
Red-light cameras haven't improved safety, L.A. city controller says
Los Angeles’ much-debated red light camera program has bypassed some of the city’s most dangerous intersections, cost more than $2.5 million over the last two years and failed to adequately demonstrate an improvement in safety, according to an audit due to be released Wednesday by City Controller Wendy Greuel.  Read more

Vancouver Sun - September 21, 2010
Red-light cameras increase rear-end crashes - and revenue
We are assured they are for our own good. We are assured they decrease accidents at intersections. And with those assurances comes the unspoken rebuke: How could anyone be against anything that reduces accidents and saves lives?  Read more

Big Jolly Politics - September 13, 2010
Regarding the Houston Chronicle's Endorsement of the City of Houston Red Light Camera Program
In an editorial that appeared in the Sunday, September 5th hard-copy of the Houston Chronicle, the Chronicle's editorial board came out in favor of the city's red light camera program. The following rebuttal was submitted to the Chronicle but was rejected. It appears that our city's newspaper of record doesn't wish for their readers to have both sides of this issue. I'll leave it to you to decide why their sales and ad revenue are in decline.  Read more

Ultimate Alief - September 7, 2010
Jolanda Jones questions Houston City Council opposition to red light cameras
At the latest meeting, Jolanda Jones questioned the council's opposition to red light cameras. Several members fought the measure, which would put the use of red light cameras on the ballot this November.

Other similar measures were passed without a hitch, including a charter amendment which would tax voters $8 billion to repair infrastructure.

"I just want us to be consistent," Jones said.  Read more

Palm Beach Post - September 7, 2010
Traffic-camera firm stops at nothing, says vote is racist by Frank Cerabino
Bet you never imagined that asking voters whether or not they want red-light surveillance cameras is racist. That's the contention of American Traffic Solutions, the Arizona-based company that operates photo enforcement cameras in West Palm Beach and elsewhere. I'm guessing you'd be hard-pressed to imagine a racist component to holding an election that includes a ballot question on red-light cameras. Then again, you're not a lawyer in search of any excuse to stop people from voting on traffic cameras.  Read more

TexasGOPVote.com - August 27, 2010
LatinoTalk hosts Michael Kubosh and Citizens against Red Light Cameras
Michael Kubosh with Citizens Against Red Light Cameras talks with us about the insidious system which uses the name of police departments, sanctioned by cities, to demand money from people. If it were not a system of revenue collection for a city it would be considered extortion in my opinion. It is; however, clearly a violation of a citizen's right to due process. One selling point for this was the notion that it would enhance safety but Mr. Kubosh found the cameras were not placed in dangerous intersections but busy ones and not in the poorer sections of town. In fact, according to Kubosh, the cameras have been shown to make intersections MORE dangerous!
 Read more

Houston Chronicle - August 24, 2010
Redlight Camera Ban Petition Certified
It's all but certain voters will decide on the issue this fall.
A petition to ban red light cameras in Houston has been certified by the city secretary, making it all but certain that voters will decide in November whether the 70 devices at intersections across the city will be taken down.

"This is a great day for Houston," said Michael Kubosh, one of three brothers that collected more than 20,000 signatures required to get the proposed charter amendment on the ballot in this election cycle. "People just need a right to vote, that's all we're saying. Now the citizens will have a chance to decide."  Read more

theNewspaper.com - August 20, 2010
Red Light Cameras Increase Accidents in Baytown, Texas
Accidents increased 40 percent one year after red light cameras went live in Baytown, Texas.
After a year of use, red light cameras have failed to deliver the promised safety benefits in Baytown, Texas. The Houston suburb activated the majority of its cameras on July 13, 2008. Since then, the number of accidents at eight camera locations has increased 40 percent, contrary to predictions from city officials. The increase in accidents has not been in minor "fender benders," as is frequently claimed by photo ticketing advocates. Rather, the number of collisions resulting in an injury jumped 75 percent. Rear end collisions increased 39 percent. Results from comprehensive, independent studies elsewhere in the country have yielded similar results...  Read more

theNewspaper.com - August 16, 2010
Texas: Red Light Camera Company Spends $230,648 to Fight Public Vote
American Traffic Solutions (ATS) and its subcontractors have spent $230,648 in an effort to deprive voters in Baytown and Houston, Texas of a chance to decide whether red light cameras should be used in their city. On November 2, residents will likely have the chance to adopt charter amendments banning the use of automated ticketing machines, although ATS lawyers are working overtime to attempt to have the courts overturn the citizen-led petition drive. Earlier this month a similar ATS-funded legal attack failed in Mukilteo, Washington, but the company last year had some success finding a judge in College Station willing to overrule the public.

In Houston, ATS kicked off the fight by creating and funding the group "Keep Houston Safe" with $150,000 in cash payments.

Ultimately, ATS will focus on using the courts to block the public will. No photo enforcement program has ever survived a public vote...  
Read more

A copy of the campaign report filings is available in a 720k PDF file at the source link below:
http://thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2010/tx-campac.pdf

KPRC-TV, Houston, TX - August 13, 2010
Residents Fight Red-Light Cameras
Baytown Residents Want Red-Light Cameras Removed
A group of residents in Baytown want red-light cameras removed from intersections

Thursday evening, the group presented signatures during a city council meeting urging that the red light camera system be put to a vote. The initiative could end up on the ballot in November...   Read more

theNewspaper.com - August 9, 2010
Anti-Red Light Camera Fight Heats Up in Texas
Houston and Baytown, Texas residents turn in signatures to force a November vote to ban red light cameras
One million Texas voters are likely to be given the option of reducing the number of red light cameras in the state. Later today, activists in Houston plan to submit over 30,000 signatures -- more than is needed -- on a petition to place a photo enforcement ban on the November 2 ballot. In the nearby suburb of Baytown, organizers responded to a notice that a previously submitted petition had fallen short of the requirement by twelve names by turning in an overwhelming 747 more last week...   Read more

Houston Chronicle - July 15, 2010
HPD's red-light camera letters all bark?
Warning that vehicle registrations will be blocked not true in Harris County
HPD threatens 79,000 motorists that their vehicle registrations will not be renewed, but Harris County says they're not denying registrations...   Read more

Tampa Bay Online - June 21, 2010
Lights out for red light cameras?
Tickets suspended after July 1 as city council mulls future of intersection enforcement
During Monday's public meeting, council members voted 4-0 not to approve an agreement with red light camera vendor ATS, meaning the current contract with the vendor will expire after June 30... Vice Mayor Richard Lewis announced he would like to "pull the plug" on red light cameras because he said the intent behind them is no longer to protect motorists and pedestrians, but to generate money for the city...   Read more

theNewspaper.com - June 19, 2010
South Carolina Bans Photo Enforcement
South Carolina governor signs law banning speed cameras and red light cameras. Legislature passes measure unanimously
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford (R) last week signed a law banning the use of red light cameras and speed cameras in the state. The measure swept unanimously through the House, 106 to 0, on June 3 and in the Senate 38 to 0 on June 2. So far, fifteen states have taken legislative or judicial action to prohibit the use of automated ticketing machines. In addition, the voters in ten cities have thrown out photo enforcement by referendum. South Carolina's law takes effect immediately...   Read more

Sioux Falls Argus Leader - June 17, 2010
Red-light cameras dealt a setback
Judge says handling of violations conflicts with state law
A circuit court judge this week upheld key constitutional challenges to the way Sioux Falls operates a camera system that nabs red-light runners at a downtown intersection. Judge Kathleen Caldwell ruled that how the violations are handled conflicts with state law... Caldwell found that the city cannot legally write tickets for red-light running as it does now, treating the offense as a civil matter instead of a criminal matter. That's because red-light running is a class two misdemeanor under state law...   Read more

theNewspaper.com - June 16, 2010
Texas: City Fudges Red Light Violation Numbers Before Election
Red light camera ticket numbers manipulated in Baytown, Texas to create appearance of a safety benefit
Baytown, Texas is easing up on issuing red light camera tickets in the hopes of diverting momentum away from a planned effort to place a photo enforcement ban on the ballot. Resident Byron Schirmbeck and a team of volunteers expect soon to turn in a second petition forcing a referendum. Statistics show that, in response, city officials and American Traffic Solutions have deliberately issued fewer citations. The program rejected 29 percent of violations in July 2008, but documents show the rate of rejections climbed to 54 percent in December...   Read more

KVOA-TV, Tuscon, AZ - June 15, 2010
New Federal Report on Red Light Cameras Raises New Issues
A few months ago we tested some of the lights at Tucson intersection ourselves and found that those lights were shorter than the 3-second standard, but the Tucson Department of Transportation said we were wrong and they weren't going to make any changes.

Now, a national report has surfaced, suggesting the city could do more to keep you safe. The report we got our hands on was given to the U.S. House of Representatives. It talks about a number of red light camera issues, particularly yellow light times in states all over the country...   Read more

the Expired Meter, Chicago, IL - June 8, 2010
Local Professor Raising Hard Questions About Chicago's Red Light Camera Program
Something just isn't adding up. At least that's what Professor Rajiv Shah's research seems to show. Prof. Shah's analysis of Chicago's red light camera system seems to indicate that perhaps the devices don't live up to the claims they actually decrease traffic accidents. And quite possibly, according to Shah's findings, the cameras may actually increase accident rates at the intersections where they're in place...   Read more

KGBT 4, Harlingen TX - June 1, 2010
Harlingen red light cameras taken down
Harlingen's red light cameras were quietly removed on Tuesday morning. City commissioners voted to pull the plug on the cameras back in February. The cameras had divided the public as to whether or not they actually improved public safety. The contract was up for renewal but the city decided not to renew it...   Read more

The Palm Beach Post, FL - May 24, 2010
Rear-end collisions jump at red-light camera intersections in West Palm Beach
Rear-end collisions more than doubled and accidents increased overall in the first 70 days of red-light cameras in West Palm Beach compared to the same period of 2009, traffic records reviewed by The Palm Beach Post show...   Read more

San Mateo County Times, CA - May 24, 2010
Burlingame gives up on red light camera
Burlingame's red-light camera experiment will end just one year after it began. Acting Police Chief Ed Wood said the camera was too expensive to keep and that it was not catching as many red-light runners as officials expected. "It had to at least pay for itself," Shepley said...   Read more

Naples News, FL - May 22, 2010
Red-light cameras can't see the gray areas on right turns
Apparently the cameras aren't sophisticated enough to tell if a driver has come to a full stop before making a right turn on red. What's more, at many intersections the driver can't see oncoming traffic well enough to make a right turn unless he or she creeps well into the intersection first. When they do, flash! goes the camera...   Read more

theNewspaper.com - May 22, 2010
Traffic Camera Accuracy, Legal Problems Proliferate Worldwide
In Virginia Beach, Virginia, the red light cameras operated by Redflex Traffic Systems were ticketing drivers who stopped before turning right on red. Despite making perfectly legal and safe turns at Independence Boulevard and Bonney Road, vehicle owners were receiving tickets from the Australian company, WVEC-TV reported. Virginia Beach police claimed that they "reviewed" every citation before it was mailed, yet they failed to prevent innocent owners from being ticketed...   Read more

San Mateo Daily Journal, CA - May 11, 2010
No red-light camera for San Bruno?
Red-light cameras will most likely not become active at San Bruno intersections as city staff believes the safety measure would result in a $30,000 loss annually...   Read more

Bradenton Herald, Bradenton, FL - May 11, 2010
AAA seeking veto on red light cameras
The AAA Auto Club South revealed Monday that it has urged Gov. Charlie Crist to veto the red light camera bill. "The fact that only 10 percent of the fine revenue is to be used for public safety and health purposes clearly shows that this legislation was more about raising money than improving traffic safety," Bakewell said...   Read more

WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA - May 8, 2010
Collisions at Red Light Camera Intersections Go Up
The red lights cameras are starting to come down. In Georgia, new laws state, if there's not a proven reduction in collisions at red light camera intersections the cameras must come out. The Center for Investigative Action spent weeks analyzing crash test data at 17 Atlanta area red light camera intersection and discovered serious collisions have gone up at nearly half of them...   Read more

Collier Citizen, Naples, FL - May 6, 2010
Red light cameras and what is right
The issue of red-light cameras in Collier County has simmered (and I won’t say boiled over) for the past year. But the Florida Legislature has passed a red light law regulating the cameras throughout the state and the bill now awaits a decision by Gov. Charlie Crist. The cameras continue to be nothing more than a generator for revenue and the state proves this by passing a law that cuts Florida into for a slice of the pie. Say what you want, but the state's action shows that revenue, not safety, is the issue...   Read more

KOB-TV, Albuquerque, NM - May 5, 2010
State holding firm on red light camera ban
Albuquerque City Council President Ken Sanchez is asking the state to hold off on shutting down five of the city's cameras in a little more than a week. The five cameras generate so much revenue for the program that Sanchez says once they are turned off, the whole program is at risk of going under...   Read more

KNDO-TV, Yakima, WA - May 5, 2010
Yakima City Council votes down red light cameras
Yakima City Council voted against considering traffic cams. This came about after dozens of people filled City Hall, many speaking out against the proposed project. Many worried it was a way to make more money and not necessary in Yakima. The council voted 5-2 to drop this issue...   Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch - April 27, 2010
Red-light traffic camera ban added to bill
The Missouri Senate has added a statewide ban on red-light traffic cameras to a broad bill on transportation. Republican Sen. Jim Lembke of St. Louis has tried for years to ban the cameras. Senators approved his amendment by a 23-8 vote Monday...   Read more

Las Cruces Sun-News - April 25, 2010
Traffic camera still up and running despite state ruling
Despite the New Mexico Transportation Commission's request to remove traffic enforcement cameras - more commonly known as red light cameras - from two of those intersections located on highways under state jurisdiction, the cameras are still working, still issuing tickets, still collecting fines. City and New Mexico Department of Transportation officials are still talking, still trying to negotiate some kind of settlement about the revenues collected from those cameras...
  Read more

St. Petersburg Times - April 25, 2010
As red light cameras grow more popular, an academic dispute at USF simmers
USF's College of Public Health concluded that instead of improving safety, the cameras actually make intersections more dangerous. Further, its study said, the cameras give insurance companies a reason to jack up rates for those who get tickets...   Read more

Houston Chronicle - April 24, 2010
Red-light camera foes want issue put to a vote
Paul Kubosh, a lawyer who sent petition forms to more than 20,000 former clients Friday and is bankrolling the effort to seek voter rejection of the cameras, said the devices have increased accidents and do not free up police resources. "Red-light cameras are dangerous," he said. "What are they really for? There's only one thing, and that's money..."
 Read more

Los Angeles Times - April 23, 2010
Anaheim to put permanent red-light camera ban on November ballot
The devices are used more as revenue generators than for traffic safety, mayor says. Attempt to ban all future use by a city may be a first... Read more

Seattle Post-Intelligencer - April 23, 2010
Group plans protests against red-light cameras
Honk if you think red-light cameras are more about making money than promoting safe driving. That's the opinion, anyway, of protesters who say they will be out at intersections this Saturday to show their opposition to camera enforcement of traffic laws. "Our goal is a statewide ban on all camera-based traffic enforcement. We want to see the state and municipalities focus on producing traffic solutions that are safety based, productive and not based on a profit motive," member Nick Sherwood said... Read more

Tuscaloosa News - April 23, 2010
Traffic lights will soon have cameras
Mayor Walt Maddox said if the red-light cameras are incorporated in the city's new operating budget, the cameras could be installed next year. He said the timing of the bill's is "fortuitous" as the city will soon begin discussing the 2011 fiscal year operating budget... Read more

Palm Beach Post - April 22, 2010
Prompted by multi-million-dollar payday, legislature appears ready to OK red-light cameras
Lawmakers are ready to give the green light to red-light cameras, setting out a uniform state code for the controversial ticket machines that could be a money maker for cities, counties and the state... Read more

RhinoTimes.com, Greensboro, NC - April 22, 2010
Schools Hear More Bad News from State
One question was about resurrecting red light cameras in Greensboro, a practice that was ended after the courts ruled that cities could not pay for the cameras out of the money collected in fines, as the North Carolina Constitution requires school systems to get most of the money generated by fines and forfeitures in the state. Under those rulings, if cities want to have red light cameras, they must pay for them out of their budgets and turn all the fines over to the school boards. School board Chairman Alan Duncan said, drily, "No community has indicated a desire to do that."... Read more

The Birmingham News - April 21, 2010
Birmingham City Council panel postpones action on installing red-light cameras
Members of the public safety committee agreed the proposal needed more study before forwarding it to the full council. Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., an Arizona-based company would operate the cameras and send tickets to drivers that run the lights. The equipment would be free to the city in exchange for a percentage of the profits... Read more

Aurora Sentinel - April 17, 2010
Putting red light cameras into focus
The motivation for the city's proposal to install 10 new photo red light systems is for driver safety, city officials say, but the advantages of the systems remain contentious as some statistics show they are counter-effective. "(The red light cameras) has been shown to change drivers' behavior ... but much of the data we've seen is that photo red programs can increase the number of accidents," said David Zelenok, director of the Public Works department for the city of Centennial... Read more

WBBH-TV Ch. 2, Fort Myers, FL - April 6, 2010
Math tutor uses numbers to fight red light camera ticket
...But Collier driver Mike Mogil claims the yellow lights are simply too short. And as it turns out, he's right... The speed limit on Collier Boulevard, where she was cited, is 45 mph. According to county guidelines, the yellow light should be 4.5 seconds. Mogil said he tested it 15 times with an average of only 3.8 seconds... Read more

CameraFraud.com - March 19, 2010
New Mexico DOT Bans Red Light Cameras
Thursday the New Mexico Department of Transportation issued a ban on all red light cameras operating on state roads and highways because of lack of evidence that cameras increase safety and increasing evidence that revenue generation is the primary motivation: "While the true safety impact of the use of these cameras is still murky at best, one thing has become clear to the commission – more and more New Mexico cities seem to be putting driver-generated revenues ahead of sound traffic management techniques,..." Read more