Increasingly desperate red light camera firms are taking advantage of strict contractual language in an attempt to prevent local governments from dumping their ticketing programs. Manatee County, Florida grew disenchanted with automated ticketing after signing a contract with Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), but the firm will not let the county government unplug the cameras unless it is paid $603,344.38. County commissioners yesterday moved to ignore the threat and drop the contract.
ACS had installed cameras at three intersections and started work on a fourth when the state legislature enacted a law authorizing the use of red light cameras under a number of specific restrictions. The statute took effect in July 2010 and banned the practice of paying photo enforcement vendors on a per-ticket basis. Manatee's contract specified that ACS should be paid $36.50 for each ticket the company issued. The state also took a significant cut of the fine revenue, leaving it unlikely Manatee's photo ticketing program would turn a profit. ACS and the county went back and forth for a year, unable to agree on revised terms.
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