Ohio Municipal League
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March 14, 2006

The Honorable Jeff Armbruster
Statehouse
Columbus, Ohio 43215

Dear Senator Armbruster,

The Ohio Municipal League must continue to oppose HB 56, even in its substitute version. We appreciate your efforts to fashion this new version. The Senate version, unveiled last week, contains many new provisions, such as a guarantee of an appeal, that seem fair and practical to us.

However, the provision that makes identification necessary for the issuance of a ticket for a civil infraction seems wholly unnecessary and impractical. It renders this bill as another version of simply making the use of this technology impossible. Such identifications would be a poor use of police resources and would never be used for other such civil infractions, such as parking tickets. To further restrict the use of this technology to siting violations of red lights and not for other violations, such as speeding, especially in school zones, makes little sense to us.

We hope you and other members of the Senate will continue to carefully consider this bill and what it means for our members. Municipal budgets over the last five years have been very difficult and our members have constantly looked for ways to stretch their resources, especially in the area of public safety. Some of those members have concluded that red light cameras will help them reduce reckless driving and increase public safety in an efficient, effective way. They should be allowed to continue doing that and not face a de facto state ban on the use of this public safety tool.

Mr. Chairman, please, believe that we are not opposed to statutes that give the public assurances that this public safety tool will not be abused anywhere in the state. We think, and have told the House sponsor, that those kind of statutory requirements could be put in place, with much less jeopardy of violating Home Rule. Your substitute version takes some steps in that direction. We would hope further steps in that direction can be taken in the Senate.

Thank you, in advance, for your consideration of our view.

Sincerely,

John K. Mahoney

Deputy Director