(Radio Iowa) - A bill introduced in the Iowa House would no longer let cities use a private company to issue tickets and collect fines for speeding or red light violations that are caught on camera.
Cedar Rapids city lobbyist Gary Grant says it would be more expensive to have city staff handle the ticketing process. David Adelman, a lobbyist for the largest cities in Iowa that are part of the Metropolitan Coalition, says the bill takes a step backwards just as state and federal officials are trying to find ways for government to do more with less."
The bill also would end the confiscation of state income tax refunds from those who refuse to pay the fines generated by traffic camera tickets. The bill cleared initial S-U-B-committee review Tuesday, but the bill's floor manager says at this point he wouldn't support bringing it up for a vote in a House committee.