Long Island's Nassau County must plug a budget gap after legislators voted unanimously Dec. 15 to repeal a controversial revenue-generating school-zone speed camera program.
The cameras, which were authorized in June on county roads located by some schools, ticketed drivers $50 along with a $30 administrative fee on drivers photographed exceeding the speed limit by at least 10 miles per hour between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. The program, which received protests from many angry residents, was projected by Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano to generate around $30 million in revenue each year.
"Though well-intentioned, the School Safety Zone Speed Camera Program has been repealed," Nassau County Presiding Officer Norma Gonsalves, R-East Meadow, said in a statement. " The improper roll-out of the program made it impossible to gain public support. Safety remains a high priority, but cameras are not the best tool to accomplish this goal. We will instead move forward with the installation of flashing lights at certain school zones as well as increased police patrolling at schools countywide."
In anticipation of the speed camera repeal, Mangano sent a letter to legislators on Dec. 10 providing a range of options to replace the lost revenue, including potential cuts to health, police and social services as well as selling billboard advertising on county roads.
Mangano's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on plans to plug the budget hole. Fitch Ratings revised its outlook on Nassau County's A long-term rating to stable from negative last month citing progress in reducing its budget deficit. Fitch had downgraded Nassau from A-plus in June 2013.
Nassau County Legislator Judy Jacobs, D-Woodbury, expressed concerns in a press conference on Dec. 9 about $30 million in projected revenue being based on an unproven program.
"I'm concerned that you when you base a budget on estimations that are not based on fact, you leave yourself open to a real challenge," said Jacobs, who served as Nassau County Legislative Presiding Officer from 2000 to 2007. "I'm sure the independent budget review will be involved in trying to help the administration figure out how to fill this gap, but that should have been thought about before this was a basis for $30 million in a budget."
Nassau County is located just east of New York City and has a population of roughly 1.3 million.
