In this week’s TheNewspaper.com Roundup!
- Federal Funds Turn Texas Speed Traps into Municipal Windfall
- In NYC, Uber Joins Special Interests Pushing for Manhattan Congestion Tax
- Iowa Supremes Return to Speed Camera Question
Friday, August 17, 2018
Federal Funds Turn Texas Speed Traps Into Municipal Windfall
Federal taxpayers are footing the bill for Texas police officers to sit on the side of the road with a radar gun under strict orders to issue a certain number of speeding tickets. These officers are paid a generous premium on their regular salary with cash transferred from gas tax revenue collected from around the nation. A report released earlier this month by Austin’s city auditor reveals just how dependent localities have become on the enforcement subsidies.
Thursday, August 16, 2018
New York: Uber Joins Special Interests Pushing For Manhattan Congestion Tax
A number of special interest groups are looking to take New York City, New York’s famous traffic jams and turn them into cash. The ride-sharing app company Uber is now investing in activist groups and lobbyists to push a $12 tax for drivers entering the Big Apple.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Iowa Supreme Court Returns To Speed Camera Question
Iowa’s highest court has handed down rulings favorable to speed cameras on multiple occasions. In May, the high court torpedoed state Department of Transportation regulations designed to cut down on unfair freeway speed traps. In 2008, justices gave cities the green light to install cameras without legislative authorization, and it used that ruling to shoot down a 2015 due process challenge. Last week, the Iowa Supreme Court returned to the due process issue in considering a class action challenge to the wording of the tickets mailed to vehicle owners.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Indiana: Ticket-Fixing Judge Gets Slap On Wrist
An Indiana judge who gave a free pass to a close friend who skipped out on paying a speeding ticket has himself been handed a free pass by the state Supreme Court. On Friday, justices allowed Knox County Superior Court Judge Ryan D. Johanningsmeier to remain on the bench with only a reprimand.
Monday, August 13, 2018
France, Italy: Speed Cameras Blinded
In Gabarret, France, on Friday vigilantes wrapped a speed camera in tape to keep it from issuing citations. Nearby in Gabarret, the automated ticketing machine was covered with paint, Sud Ouest reported. The next day, the speed camera on the RD840 in Conches-en-Ouche was torched, according to Paris-Normandie. In Louhossoa, fire completely destroyed a speed camera last week Sunday, Sud Ouest reported. The same camera had been torched a year ago.
