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Red light tickets won’t be going away just yet, but as Matt Galka tells us, a proposal from lawmakers would force cities to spend that ticket money a certain way…something local governments aren’t on board with.

68 jurisdictions around Florida have red light cameras.  It’s debatable whether or not the program is helping to improve road safety.  But a proposal in the Florida House would make sure that the money from tickets was going towards public safety issues.

“If a program was instituted for the purpose of enhancing public safety we want to make sure that the funds retained for that program go into just that: into public safety,” said bill sponsor Rep. Bryan Avila (R-Hialeah).

A red light camera ticket costs drivers $158 bucks but not everybody was on board with the idea of that money going towards public safety.

Representative Joe Geller (D-Dania Beach) was one of four “no” votes for the bill.

“We’re passing the buck for localities and that’s a repeated claim that I hear,” said Rep. Geller.

The Florida League of Cities also didn’t think it was fair that local governments would be mandated to put the money toward something specific while the state collected general revenue money.

“Cities should have a right to determine what is the best need for that money, it’s important to note that cities pay for the red light camera programs where as the state just receives 70 dollars from each ticket,” said Casey Cook with the League.

The sponsor says he’s not trying to tie city’s hands.

“We left that at the discretion of the local governments to determine what they felt was public safety. We did not narrow that definition so we left that as vague as possible in order for them to make that determination by themselves,” said Rep. Avila.

The money would be allowed to pay for the cameras themselves. They typically cost a around $4500 dollars per camera, per month.

The bill passed its final committee and awaits a full House vote. Some on the panel, including the bill’s sponsor, suggested they’d like to see the red light camera program go away.