Update 1x: Saviano, other political insiders, benefit from 'red light districts'

What do former and current Illinois legislators, an Israeli-owned conglomerate that does most of its business with Kazakhstan, and red-light cameras have in common? ... Money of course!

The Chicago Tribune has blown the lid off the lucrative red-light camera scheme that includes State Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano, disgraced former governors George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich, former legislators Greg Zito and Al Ronan, and senate president John Cullerton.

UPDATE 1: IR first reported on RedSpeed's donations to state lawmakers back in February, when the village of Schaumburg started backing away from one Red Speed camera that drew in $1 million in tickets during the Christmas shopping season. The story tied Ronan's lobbying firm and state lawmakers Paul Froehlich (D) and John Millner (R), who both received campaign donations from Red Speed shortly before the camera was installed. Since then, Schaumburg Freedom Coalition reports that Schaumburg has decided to abandon the use of RedSpeed's camera as of July 14th. Brian Costin writes:

 

Now we learn from the Daily Herald that Schaumburg plans to turn off their red light cameras for good on Tuesday, July 14th after complaints from over 50 residents and businesses. They state “a new study shows that even at the most accident-prone intersections, the cameras would have little effect.”

Comments

[Dennis C. Ryan]

Want to rid the area of "red light cameras?" Here's a plan worth trying:
1. Write or e-mail all business you regularly patronize in a "red light camera" town, telling them you will no longer shop there because the cameras make it too risky to continue doing business there. Send copies to the town's Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor or Village board President, and the local newspaper. Businessmen don't benefit from the cameras.
2. If you live in the town, attend city government meetings and voice your disgust with "red light cameras."
3. If you live in the town, get a copy of the "red light camera" ordinance and see which aldermen or tustees voted FOR it, and vote them out of office.
If the town officials think they will make more money from the red light cameras than from sales taxes, they will keep the cameras, but if they wise up and realize they will LOSE money, the cameras will soon be gone.