Red-light-camera fines might rise

State legislators have an idea to help cities and towns pay for their red-light cameras and still give most camera revenues to public schools: steeper fines for red-light runners.

The N.C. House of Representatives this weekend approved a bill that would raise red-light-camera fines to $75 each, up from $50. By adding $25, the schools, which under the N.C. Constitution are entitled to 90 percent of all camera revenue, would get more money from each ticket, and cities and towns with cameras would get more money to operate them.

The state Senate and governor must approve the legislation before cities such as Wilmington could begin issuing higher fines. As of late Monday afternoon, the Senate hadn't considered it, although it could happen this week.

State Sen. Julia Boseman, D-New Hanover, said she didn't know of any opposition in the Senate.

"I think the red-light camera program is important and has proven to deter people from running red lights," she said.

All N.C. House members from New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick counties voted for the bill. The legislation would allow municipalities to keep as much as $7.50 from each citation to help cover ticket costs such as postage, printing and mailing. The schools would get the remaining $67.50.

The bill also would allow cities to charge a "collection assistance fee" to red-light runners who don't pay their fines within 30 days after a second notice is mailed. The fee couldn't be more than 20 percent of the fine, or $15, and the revenue could be used only to pay the costs of collecting late payments, according to House Bill 1228.

North Carolina courts have mandated that 90 percent of all red-light-camera revenue go to public schools.

In Wilmington's case, the remaining 10 percent isn't enough to pay the program's for-profit operator, Peek Traffic. The city recently sent $3.6 million to the New Hanover County Board of Education for five years of red-light revenue. Meanwhile, city taxpayers will pay $160,000 this year to operate the program.

Exactly how much of the operating expenses Wilmington could generate under the proposed law couldn't be learned Monday.

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo said he hopes the state eventually will allow municipalities to keep enough camera cash to fully cover the program. Until then, he said, he would "seriously consider" any option to keep the cameras and reduce the cost to city taxpayers.

The mayor supports the program as a way to reduce accidents and injuries at major intersections in the city.

"I think that the benefits of keeping them on far outweigh turning them off," Saffo said.

Issuing higher fines means the red-light runners, many of whom live outside the city, would pay a greater share of the program cost, Saffo said.

The Wilmington City Council chose to keep its red-light cameras, despite the state mandate that it must give 90 percent of the revenue to the schools. Thirteen cameras operate at busy intersections in the Port City. Violators get $50 tickets by mail. In 2006, the program nabbed 21,661 red-light runners.

Several cities, including Charlotte, Fayetteville and High Point, recently ended their programs in light of the state mandate.

Patrick Gannon: 343-2328

patrick.gannon@starnewsonline.com