NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans City Council members have voiced skepticism about a plan to nearly double the number of traffic cameras in the city.
The New Orleans Advocate’s Jeff Adelson reports that Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration says the cameras are designed to prevent speeding, but several council members on Wednesday questioned if the cameras would really improve public safety.
Councilman James Gray argues that the cameras don't improve safety since the city is generating a significant amount of revenue from the traffic tickets they produce.
The mayor's plan calls for adding 45 new stationary cameras and 10 mobile cameras around the city. New Orleans currently has 66 cameras. The additional cameras are expected to bring in about $8 million next year.