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The city of Jamestown has placed Assemblyman Andrew Goodell in a tough place.
Mayor Eddie Sundquist has been an outspoken advocate for school zone speed cameras. Goodell has often pushed back on those same cameras when it comes time for the state Assembly to approve them.
Just last week, Goodell argued against speed camera bills, including one proposed in Syracuse that nearly mirrored the Jamestown proposal except for allowing drivers to maintain a 30 mile an hour speed in school zones before they receive a ticket. Jamestown's proposal would send a ticket if a driver doesn't slow down to 20 miles an hour in a school zone.
The Syracuse proposal, much like what Goodell is being asked to support on behalf of Jamestown, includes liability for the owner of the car, not the driver and allow for cameras to be in use an hour before and an hour after school hours, during periods of student activities at the school and up to 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after school activities. Both bills come with a $50 fine for violations -- which Goodell says isn't likely enough of a deterrent compared with the fine if a police officer catches someone speeding in a school zone.
Goodell took issue with something one of our readers took issue with in a Reader's Forum letter earlier this year -- how are people without children in school supposed to know when the cameras are on for an after-school activity if there aren't signs with lights telling drivers the cameras are on? Isn't that just a sign that the cameras are a revenue enhancer rather than a public safety tool?
"The next problem, however, is for innocent drivers who may not even realize that the cameras are on a half an hour before and a half an hour after any school event," Goodell said. "Who has a calendar of school events and after school activities? You have to know when the school play is in order to know when the cameras are on?"
If Jamestown officials were smart, they would address some of Goodell's suggestions if they really want speed zone cameras in the city. Otherwise, Goodell's fellow state legislators are going to have some fun at the Jamestown legislator's expense when the Jamestown school speed camera bill comes to the floor.