Hector Gavilla for Suffolk County Says “Suffolk Red-Light Camera Program Steals Over $30,000,000 Per Year From Tax-Payers”

The Suffolk County Red-light Camera Program is unconstitutional and ineffective. By the county’s own admission, rear-end collisions have increased 30%. In total, the program has fined Suffolk residents more than $30,000,000, with an average of 30-40% of these fees going not to the county, but Maryland-based Xerox, the vendor whom records and processes all fees associated with the program.  In 2015 alone, Xerox made more than $9,000,000 off of Suffolk County residents. These fees are not processed and delivered by a law enforcement officer, but a Xerox employee. Red-light camera citations are not moving violations – they are municipal fees and have no impact on an individual’s drivers license, Stated “Hector Gavilla”.

When cited by a Suffolk County law enforcement officer for failing to adhere to a traffic control signal, a driver is subject to 3 points on his or her license and up to $5,000 in fines. When cited for the same infraction by a red-light camera, a driver is subject to an $80 fee and no points on his or her license. This inherently promotes repeat offenses.

Because red-light camera citations do not identify the driver, but the registrant of the vehicle, an individual’s rights to due process are violated upon receiving such a citation as the county has no proof whether or not the cited individual actually committed an offense.

If an individual disputes a red-light camera citation, they enter into a civil case, not a criminal case, with the plaintiff being Xerox – not New York State or Suffolk County. A private, out-of-state vendor does not have the authority to issue penalties for a New York State law.

“Red-light cameras are a scam,” said Hector Gavilla, candidate for Suffolk County Legislator, 16^th District. “I will not allow the residents of our county to continue to be exploited by the dangerous and unconstitutional red-light camera program. Accidents are up, as are fees. To offset the revenue generated by this program after its end, I will ask all Suffolk County departments to hold an internal audit to determine where they can cut excess spending. My goal is to decrease all department budgets by at least 10%. This does not mean layoffs for county workers – it means we’re going to consolidate county offices doing the same job, renegotiate contracts with vendors to get Suffolk better deals and curtail wasteful social-program spending.”

When elected, Hector Gavilla will put an end to the wrongful red-light camera program by refusing a renewal of the county’s contract with Xerox, saving tax-payers millions in unconstitutional citations.