City Council curtails red light revenue rule

Neighborhood councils won’t have to raise money to dip into revenue the city collects from red light camera tickets. The Spokane City Council on Monday voted unanimously to amend the council’s 2007 camera law that devotes the city’s first $150,000 from red light camera profits to “traffic calming” measures like lane narrowing or lane striping. The old rules required neighborhood councils to have matching money to receive red light camera revenue for projects that councils wanted for their neighborhoods. The new rules eliminate the matching requirements. Neighborhood councils interested in the money will be able to submit proposals for specific traffic projects to the city’s Public Works Department. The City Council will make final decision on spending from the fund. In the first year of operation, red light cameras in Spokane raised $419,000. After the city’s contracted camera company was paid and other expenses subtracted, police estimate a profit of $103,000 will be available for traffic safety improvements.