Suffolk seeks more red-light camera revenue

Suffolk County hopes to net $20 million a year in badly needed revenue by doubling the number of red-light cameras and processing its own traffic violations, officials said Wednesday.

Lawmakers on Tuesday formally requested state authorization of a Traffic and Parking Violations Agency, allowing the county to keep traffic cases -- and fines -- now processed in district court. Bills to create the agency will be heard in the state Senate and Assembly over the next several weeks.

If approved, County Executive Steve Bellone's office estimates $2.7 million in agency start-up costs, but ultimately, $14 million in annual revenue as soon as next year.

That, coupled with an estimated $6 million a year from 50 additional red-light cameras, is part of Bellone's long-term plan to address Suffolk's fiscal crisis, a spokeswoman said.

"You start seeing that money on an annual basis and all of a sudden you start to eat away at the deficit projections," said Vanessa Baird-Streeter.

Bellone projects a $530 million budget hole through 2013, and plans to announce initial steps to address it, including expense cuts and other revenue-generating measures, within two weeks. But both he and the legislature made creating the traffic violations bureau a priority before the dire projection came to light.

Legis. Tom Cilmi (R-Bay Shore) first asked for the bureau in early February. He said it made sense for Suffolk, as Nassau County does, to keep the fees that come from infractions its employees issue.

"We're looking for any way we can to find recurring, consistent revenue streams," said Cilmi, "at a time when we don't want to increase taxes on our law-abiding citizens."

Legis. Rob Calarco (D-Patchogue), who made the issue one of his campaign platforms last fall, said it was as simple as "local dollars should stay local.

"It's always been very frustrating when you look at the tickets our police department is writing, and that revenue goes to the state because they process the tickets," he said.

Earlier this week, state lawmakers agreed to authorize 50 additional red-light cameras each for Suffolk and Nassau.

Baird-Streeter said that public safety will be used as the main driver in determining where to put the new cameras, but acknowledged that the proceeds they bring will only help.