Looks like there is going to be some belly-bucking between DCSD and some cities hereabouts over traffic cameras. Some background...
Cities, including Dunwoody, have been pushing DCSD to install these traffic cameras to enforce traffic ordinances and collect revenue from issuance of tickets. As it sits right now the money collected would not necessarily go to DCSD because the law says the administrative agency will not be DCSD but the local jurisdiction. In a nutshell, Dunwoody would get revenue and would escape all costs: DCSD installs and maintains the cameras and service and DPD would not (and never have) bear the cost of traffic enforcement. Our chair force can cool their jets in those Aerons.
DCSD will lobby for legislative changes to set this right. DCSD Board Chair sees this as win-win: DCSD will keep Dunwoody safer; and DCSD will be duly and properly compensated for doing DPD's job for them. Common sense.
Not to Dunwoody's mayor who has reportedly been pushing hard for these cameras. The city, through one of the top bungle brothers who is directly in charge of traffic enforcement in this city, whines that they cannot come to an agreement to get DCSD to submit an application to GDOT for the cameras. Well chief, how about until they do you actually have your troops do the very job we voted this city into existence to get done: enforce the traffic laws.
Feigning surprise that money is involved the mayor laments that if student safety is paramount these cameras would be in place. J.M.J! Maybe, just maybe, the mayor has been pushing on the wrong lever. Maybe the mayor should look inward where the mayor's responsibility lies and push hard, really hard on those levers. Maybe then the city would be informed, with empirical evidence, of the cost of actual police enforcement of these traffic safety measures and then, and only then, an informed cost/benefit evaluation could be made. This would aid any revenue sharing discussions with DCSD as the city would know exactly how much money would be saved with traffic cams over actual policing. Only that revenue in excess of the policing costs should stay with the city and the rest should go to DCSD? Why? Because this city and the mayor and the council have demonstrated time and again that safety if NOT a priority and their not ensuring safety for our school children. Frankly the city doesn't deserve a single dime of this revenue.
If Dunwoody, if the mayor, if the council, if the city manager, if the police chief, if any of them were doing their job to protect our community this would not be an issue at all.
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