MAILBAG - Sept. 27, 2007

City has revenue, not road safety, in mind

The city of Huntington Beach should not install red light cameras.

After some light Internet research, I surmise that the primary reason the city is pursuing red light cameras is for the addition of new revenue. Not for the safety of Huntington Beach residents.

There are numerous studies that show with virtually every decrease in side impact accidents because of red light cameras there is an increase in rear impact crashes. People don’t want to take the chance of getting a $300-plus ticket, so they slam on their brakes and then get slammed in the back. We’re trading one accident for another. This is not an improvement in traffic safety.

And to say that the increase in revenue will only be about $100,000 is laughable. Yeah, plus a million or two. There are many cities throughout the country that regularly collect several million dollars from the red light cameras. It becomes a regular budget line item.

And it’s a tough “drug” to quit once the city starts collecting that kind of cash. All in the name of safety, of course.

Nationwide, there are several cities that have had red light cameras and removed them because they found that by extending the yellow light from, as an example, 3 to 4.7 seconds, both side and rear impact crashes decreased at higher levels than with the cameras. Another idea is to have one second where all lights are red between the changing of signals.

This seems like common sense.

And we haven’t even addressed issues like, what if someone borrows your car and gets the red light camera treatment? You get the ticket, have to figure out who was driving the car, it goes on your record, you’re responsible to pay, etc.

When did it change to guilty until proven innocent? What’s next? Cameras to determine if I’m obeying the speed limit? Hey, that’s a good idea!

Urge your Huntington Beach City Council to vote against red light cameras.

THOM DONEY

Huntington Beach

Bush impeachment would be good for all Americans

I agree with Sen. Tom Harman about the importance of the U.S. Constitution and especially liked the quote from Alexander Hamilton, “what is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? The answer would be, respect for the Constitution and laws — the first growing out of the last.”

One of the most important tenants of the Constitution is the ability to impeach a president when there is evidence that they may have committed treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. In fact the Founding Fathers mention impeachment six times in the Constitution although they don’t mention primaries, political parties or corporations.

This administration has been accused of illegal wire taps of American citizens, torture at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo prisons, holding prisoners without charges or representation for years and lies and misrepresentation of intelligence to move this nation to a war in Iraq.

In fact, one of those lies about Iraq obtaining uranium from Niger was used in President Bush’s Jan. 28, 2003, State of the Union message.

President Nixon was threatened with impeachment for lying to the American people about a burglary and President Clinton for lying under oath about a marital affair. In contrast, this administration may have broken more laws than any other in history including commuting the sentence of Scooter Libby for a crime which Bush may have been involved. This crime is specifically spelled out by our Founding Fathers.

A group of citizens have presented a city impeachment resolution to the Huntington Beach City Council at four consecutive council meetings. We are asking them to pass a resolution similar to those passed by 87 other municipalities across the U.S.

This is not a conservative or liberal matter and this is not just a national issue. These alleged abuses of power affect every citizen including Huntington Beach residents and will remain in place until January 2009 unless we stand up now.

We are asking the city of Huntington Beach to add a city impeachment resolution to the agenda.

Please join us at 6 p.m. Oct. 1 in the City Council chambers as we honor the intent of this great document.

LYNDA A. HERNANDEZ

Huntington Beach