This too is Yonkers–By Eric W. Schoen
AN OPEN LETTER TO WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER
Dear County Executive Latimer (or if I may call you George),
Summer is here. Busy riding the Dragon Coaster at Playland and cooling off in the still chilly waters of Playland Beach. Playing golf at our beautiful county golf courses, or putting around at the putting green at the Dunwoodie course, hoping to one day be Tiger Woods. Getting ready to swim at Sprain Brook Pool, finally opened after being closed way to long by your predecessor. Getting ready to enjoy the Ethnic Festivals soon to take place at Kensico Dam and at spots around the county.
From your Twitter feed I know your beloved Mets are not doing well. You were so excited at the start of the season when they were winning big time. I understand the pain you feel as the Mets quickly have gone down hill. (By the way I encourage people to follow you on Twitter as your posts are not the boring, self serving posts most politicians use the device for!)
Taking the name of the County Executive off of the various signs on Parks and buildings throughout the County. Love it. All it was is free advertising for re-election. Everyday you seem to be somewhere else in our beloved county greeting the public rather than sitting behind your desk in the County Office Building.
The weather is warming up and we are enjoying the outdoors. Cotton candy, candied apples, barbecues at Tibbetts Park and all of our wonderful County parks chock full of hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken and potato salad. Life is good! And what do you hit us with?
WESTCHESTER RED LIGHT CAMERAS. I feel like a hibernating bear, relaxing for winter with a glass of chilled Prosecco in one hand, barbecued corn on the cob in the other suddenly awakened by someone trying to steal tomorrow mornings porridge.
And this all happened in the middle of the night with little public notice or discussion, proposed by you as a home rule message to Albany supported by a unanimous County Board of Legislators vote. Since the Board consists of representatives from Yonkers, Mount Vernon and New Rochelle where people despise Red Light Cameras, I can’t believe the vote was unanimous even for this first small step.
Anyone who has followed these columns since their inception knows my dislike for Red Light Cameras. The minute I write an article about them or mention the word Red Light Camera while sipping my quad espresso over ice at Starbucks, the flood gates open. Letters, emails, calls, people stopping me on the street. In Yonkers if you are making a right on red at an intersection where it is permitted, if you stop a second short you are awarded with a $50 ticket. And a $15 ‘administrative surcharge’ the latest ‘gimmick’ put into place without any notice or warning by the city fathers of Yonkers. In the middle of the night! Some Councilpersons didn’t even read the budget to see what they were voting on!
By the way I hope that you didn’t get the idea for Red Light Cameras from our dear Yonkers city officials. They says they are for safety, but you don’t have to be a Harvard scholar to realize it’s all about the money! Millions of dollars flow into City of Yonkers coffers annually.
One Councilman told me how the cameras have stopped drag racing on Central Park Avenue. A month later the same Councilman was standing next to the Mayor on Central Avenue touting the passage of legislation by the City Council to stop and penalize those who drag race. Well, I guess the cameras didn’t do what the Councilman told me they did!
The tickets are supposed to be ‘reviewed’ by a police officer or other official charged with the task before they are issued. I requested to see this operation in practice. Still waiting!
Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Philadelphia and other cities across the country Have signs at the approach to intersections with Red Light Cameras alerting motorists to their existence. These signs have proven to be just as effective or even more effective than the cameras themselves in reducing cars from running red lights. Yonkers has put up a few more signs at the gateways to the city alerting motorists that red light cameras exist but to date has failed to place signs at the approach to intersections with red light cameras to alert motorists.
Yonkers even had the audacity to hire the same lobbying firm that lobbies for companies that implement Red Light Camera programs in Albany to lobby the legislature for a Red Light Camera Program for the city. Chutzpah! (Definition:shameless audacity).
Studies have shown that Red Light Camera programs have resulted in more crashes and accidents. Google it. In California Red Light tickets have been dismissed because traffic departments could not prove to the court that the traffic lights are timed as they should be. Ohio Governor Kasich signed a law that bans Red Light Cameras in the state. Many communities are discontinuing their Red Light Camera programs.
The programs that have proven to be effective are the ones that place safety over dollars. Bet your bottom dollar we will be lobbying Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, the sponsors of the Westchester County Red Light Camera Bills in Albany to take their names off legislation no one wants. These cameras disproportionately hit the poor who can least afford their tickets.
At the very minimum we will be calling on Stewart-Cousins and Pretlow to write into any new Red Light Camera legislation the requirement that communities post signage at the approach to intersections with Red Light Cameras alerting motorists to their existence. This makes it a ‘safety program’ versus a pure revenue producer.
Why don’t you consider Speeding Cameras like New York City has around school zones. Expand the speeding camera program to include places like Central Avenue to fine the drag racers. Cameras that catch drivers passing school buses illegally. In Yonkers that would solve the city’s budget woes.
I have heard from one County Legislator who is going to be asking for statistics on the effectiveness of these cameras. Don’t get those statistics from companies that operate Red Light Camera programs. Their numbers are biased. And I heard from another fine County Legislator who messaged me as I was writing this letter to you stating, ‘I do however believe you and your readers have some valid suggestions about signage that I think we (the County Board) need to take into consideration.’
Well George, I thank you for your time. Everyone always said you were a good listener always looking at both sides of the issues before you. Who could ask for anything more?
All I ask is that you let me and the readers relax in our beach chairs, cold drinks in hand and let us enjoy the summer without bringing up anything controversial like Red Light Cameras. Summer time and the Livin’ is easy! And, I promise to say a prayer that your beloved Mets make it to the playoffs and World Series just for you!
Your Friend, Eric
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen and Dan Murphy on the Westchester Rising Radio Show Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM or download the SIMPLE RADIO app for free from the APP STORE
