Red Light Cameras flashing in Balcones Heights

L-R: KENS-5 Reporter Nydia Lopez, KENS-5 Photographer Jason Eggleston, KENS-5 Reporter looking over documents, KENS-5 vehicle, Balcones Heights City Administartor Sean Pate, KENS-5 Photographer Jason Eggleston, Balcones Heights Police Chief Bill Stannard interviewed on Red Light Cameras by reporter, computer designated to view video tape of violators

KENS-5 Reporters along with other TV stations are covering the progress of the Red Light Cameras. Earlier in the week KENS-5 Reporter Jessica Silva interviewed Balcones Heights Councilman Steve Walker.

The video cameras are flashing and if a motorist runs a red light in Balcones Heights, the consequence is a $148 dollar citation.

American Traffic Solutions (ATS) headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona is monitoring you at four intercetions to include three on Fredericksburg Road at Hillcrest, Crossroads Boulevard and Balcones Heights Boulevard. The other intersection is Hillcrest & Babcock.

When ATS cameras record the violation, the information is forwarded to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for verification of ownership and mailing address and then forwards the video to the City for final judgement. That time frame is supposedly four days.

Once the police department approve the violation, it goes back to ATS and they send a citation that gives the violator 30 days to pay unless the motorist challenges it within 15 days. That process also takes four days.

Once the citation is in the mail the clock starts ticking on payment of the fine. If the motorist chooses to ignore the ticket, it is then turned over to an in-house collection agency. If the collection agency is unable to collect the fine it is then turned over to the Balcones Heights City Attorney to file in Justice of the Peace Court to obtain a judgement from the JP.

ATS then contacts the companies that issue credit reports and requests that the credit report reflect the failure to pay. The City of Balcones Heights receives its $108 dollars from the fine from ATS. The city does not receive any revenue from a citation until it is paid.

The debate rages over whether the installation is for safety reasons or for generating revenue for the city