Lights, camera, wallet!

Courtesy of chides @ SXC

With the plan to add about 500 new speed cameras around schools and parks pushed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, I find it very disturbing that public interest is quite mild.  With the existing 380 red-light cameras already in service, city of Chicago will become a "leader in safety".

With WSJ reporting that Chicago already pockets $68 million a year from the red-light cameras, how much would Chicagoans dish out for fines?

Conservatively, lets say half of those cams would get business during the school days:

     270 days x 250 cams x $35 (6 miles over limit) = $2,362,500

The other half would catch drivers around parks all year around:

     365 days x 250 cams x $35 (6 miles over limit) = $3,193,750

Total of $5,556,250 would be split between the city of Chicago and Redflex Traffic Systems represented by Greg Goldner (Mayor strong supported) acting as a link between the Mayor and the company.  

But it gets better.  The fine for speeding 11 miles over the speed limit goes up to $100.  Shall we?

         270 days x 250 cams x $100 = $6,750,000

         365 days x 250 cams x $100 = $9,125,000

That makes $15,875,000 pot of gold available for grabs.  Maybe I should start a traffic-cam company?  There's money there. 

So, since the speed cam ordinance was approved by the City Council committee in 7-3 vote, let the games begin.  Lights, camera, wallet!  Your wallet.