Red Light Cameras are a tax, according to Suffolk County Legislator Robert Trotta. He is introducing a bill to suspend Suffolk County’s red light programs. Recently, a Suffolk County report showed that automobile accidents have increased at 44 of the 100 intersections where red light cameras were installed, and that accidents with injuries more than doubled at three of those sites.
Trotta described the Suffolk County red light program as “nothing more than an attempt to raise taxation by citation.”
We have previously written about the controversy regarding the use of red light cameras on long island.
Just this week, a Centereach man known as the “red light Robin Hood” was charged with two counts of felony criminal mischief for damaging red light cameras. Stephen Ruth, 43, admitted to damaging dozens of cameras. Ruth was also arrested last August for tampering with a red light camera in Ronkonkoma.
A second man, Brian Valentine of St. James, was also arrested and accused of placing plastic bags over red light cameras in Smithtown. He was wearing a Guy Fawkes “anonymous” mask to disguise his appearance.
You can learn more about red light cameras by reading our other articles which discuss this topic.