NM - City official proposes red-light camera reduction

It looks like drivers in Albuquerque are starting to learn the consequences of running red lights, and now one city councilor wants to look at turning off the cameras that aren't bringing in the big money.

The city issued around 38,000 tickets to drivers running red lights in 2007. This year, that number is expected to drop by more than 5,000.

One city councilor said it may be a good idea to scrap the cameras at intersections that don't bring in the big bucks.

"Some cities have reduced cameras because people were not violating the law, and again my hope is that that will be the case, that we do not generate enough money to pay for the program, because people are not running red lights or speeding through these intersections," said City Councilor Ken Sanchez.

That is what happened last week in Dallas, Texas.

Dallas' city council voted to slash a quarter of its red-light cameras because the cameras weren't bringing in enough money to justify the upkeep.

And now Albuquerque could follow in Dallas' footsteps.

Sanchez said the city pays about $4,000 a month in maintenance costs per intersection. And he said it's time to take a hard look at the numbers.

"If the city is not going to be taking any of that money in, I think we need to look at fewer cameras in some of the intersections where people aren't violating the law," he said.

The city said the intersection at Coors and Central issues the least amount of tickets.