On Tuesday, the Finance Committee of the City Council voted to reduce the ticket threshold for Mayor Lori Lightfoot from 6 mph to 10 mph. The final vote on the measure is scheduled for Wednesday.
If the measure passes, Mayor Lori Lightfoot could be the first mayor in Chicago to veto a bill. In a statement, she criticized the council members who voted for the measure and said she would not allow it to compromise public health.
Statement from Lightfoot
The council’s Finance Committee voted 16 to 15 in favor of the bill, which would allow authorities to increase the speed limit in areas where there are schools and parks. It is unconscionable that after more than 170 people died in 2021 due to traffic accidents in Chicago, some members of the council are still not taking adequate measures to address the issue.
The revenue generated by the fines helps fund various programs and infrastructure projects in Chicago, such as after-school programs and Safe Passage workers. Gia Biagi, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation, stated that increasing the speed limit in certain areas could increase the likelihood of an accident by up to 80%.
The city of Chicago has already collected over $89 million in fines from the speed camera program. If the ordinance is implemented, the city could potentially lose up to $45 million in revenue.
Some of the council members who voted for the bill stated that the fines were unfair to low-income residents. According to Leslie Hairston, the data collected by the cameras showed that African-Americans and brown individuals were the ones who were hit the hardest.
City Council Sparring Over Speed Camera Tickets
The City Council of Chicago was scheduled to vote on a bill that would let authorities issue tickets to drivers who are caught moving at a slower speed. However, the vote on the bill was delayed due to a disagreement among the council members.
The vote on the bill was delayed by Ald. Jason Ervin. He used a parliamentary procedure that allows him and another individual to prevent the council from taking up a certain issue. This means that the bill will not be considered at the council’s next meeting, which is scheduled for July 13.
The proposed legislation would eliminate the $35 fine for drivers who were photographed going over the speed limit by at least 6 mph. It would also set a limit of 10 mph for those who are caught driving at a higher rate of speed.
