The sentiment that most Texans have is that red-light cameras are not such a good idea.
From the very beginning, the concept of ‘big-brother-watching-your-every-move’ devices being placed on Texas roadways caused an uproar with voters and sparked a citywide debate between politicians and their constituents.
According to theNewspaper.com, between 1995 and 2003, the Texas House of Representatives rejected open attempts to authorize the use of such cameras in four legislative sessions.
However, due to a clever maneuver by Rep. Linda Harper-Brown (R-Irving), who added a provision in the original legislative bill, municipalities were allowed to issue citations for traffic violations caught on camera. This would have necessitated red-light camera citations, pitting city law enforcement against government interests.
In May, amendment No. 102 added a sunset clause to state approval for the use of automated ticketing machines. State Reps. Gary Elkins (R-Houston) and Solomon Ortiz Jr. (D-Corpus Christi) led this bipartisan effort, which now precludes municipalities from entering any new red-light camera contracts. But this still has not given these ‘eyes in disguise’ the black eye they need to come to a screeching halt in Houston.
Red-light cameras in College Station are to be shut off Wednesday, according to Ben White, the city’s mayor. College Station’s citizens can attribute this to the 52 percent vote against their use.
According to The Eagle, which is the prominent printed news source for College Station, ‘Brazos County election officials on Tuesday had to bring in additional voting machines and employees to help with an unexpectedly high turnout at a College Station polling place.’
Houston is another story.
As the Houston Chronicle reported Nov. 4, ‘voters stayed home in droves.’ I thought that was a fitting citation, since we are talking about driving. By simply showing up at the polls, maybe the citizens of the complaint on the issue of red-light cameras in Houston would seem more credible.
This is blunt evidence of Houston voter apathy. Many Houstonians have taken for granted their powerful rights as citizens to voice their opinions on issues at the polls.
You might recall other complaints about the laws in our city, the state or in this nation by Houstonians. But when it is time to go to the polls and make a difference as citizens of democracy, many don’t bother to show up.
Do they really have the right to complain when they have to pay up in court because they did not bother to speak up at the polls? So speak up or pay up.
As Walter Cronkite used to say, ‘that’s the way it was.’
Ruben Slater is a communication graduate student and may be reached at [email protected]
