A referendum to overturn a new statewide speed camera law failed this week, but county residents will still get a chance to weigh in on the controversial technology.

The Maryland General Assembly passed a bill earlier this year allowing speed cameras in construction and school zones, but it is up to each individual county to decide whether to use them. The bill requires a public hearing and legislation by the local jurisdiction, in this case the County Council, to put the cameras in place.

County Executive Kenneth Ulman has expressed support for using the cameras and said the police department is working on a detailed plan to implement the system. While Ulman said it will probably be a year before the cameras are in place, the issue could go to the council later this year.

"Our speed laws are laws that some people think are optional," Ulman said. "Somehow that mentality needs to evolve."

As passed, the state bill requires local governments to post the camera locations on their Web sites and issue only warnings during the first 30 days of operating them. Drivers must be traveling at least 12 mph above the limit to warrant a ticket and fines are capped at $40.

Owners can contest the tickets in court and will not be given points on their licenses. Any money collected that is not needed to pay for the costs of the system can be used only for public safety, the bill states.

The cameras are currently used only in Montgomery County.

Maryland for Responsible Enforcement, a Bethesda-based advocacy organization, was seeking to overturn the speed camera law statewide, but failed to gather the 17,883 signatures it needed by May 31. Petition gatherers had slightly more than 16,000, according to a statement from the group.

The organization plans to help residents challenging cameras in individual counties, the group's co-chairmen, Justin Shuy and Daniel Zubairi, said in a statement. They faulted Maryland's strict signature requirements and the brief time they had to gather signatures with hurting their efforts.

"Marylanders do not want speed cameras and do not want more taxes and burdens in these troubling financial times," the statement reads.

The Maryland Republican Party's executive committee endorsed the recent referendum drive and decried the cameras as another tax on citizens.

"Perhaps worst of all, if you receive a ticket from one of these cameras there is no ability to face your accuser in court," Maryland Republican Party Chairman Jim Pelura said in a statement.

Council members undecided

County Council members reached on the issue said they had no position on speed cameras but would listen to the public.

"I'm hopeful that the citizens of Howard County will offer their thoughts and that'll allow us to weigh how to move forward," said council member Calvin Ball, a Columbia Democrat.

Republican council member Gregory Fox said he has not heard from many constituents on the issue, but expects to have many questions about the program.

"I do share concerns about the eventual slippery slope," he said. "A lot of it depends on how many and where. I'll be watching this one very closely."

Also following the subject closely is Highland resident Theodore Giovanis, who has written letters to local lawmakers challenging the cameras' effectiveness. He said he planned to speak out at hearings on the issue if the County Council holds them.

Giovanis said he was concerned about language in the state bill that allows for speed limits to be set in areas by "generally accepted traffic engineering practices." The wording is vague and could be subject to abuse, he said. "There's a lot of questions they have to answer before they put these in place," Giovanis said.

Ulman set aside nearly $700,000 for the program in the county's fiscal year 2010 budget, which begins July 1.

He said it was "premature" to discuss how many cameras would be used or where they would be placed. However, police will focus on areas with high numbers of accidents, a history of speeding or where residents have requested them.

"We want to make sure that we're doing this very thoughtfully and putting them where they're needed, as opposed to just throwing them up on any roadway," Ulman said.

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user comments (4)

user patdornan says...

I can't believe they couldn't get the signatures! I signed. Nobody I know wants these things, but Ulman's revenue-hungry, government-is-always-right comrades will undouobtedly implement this tax. The bottom line is that whether they work or don't work, whether they are constitutional or not, WE THE PEOPLE do NOT believe it when government says this is for public safety. Government lost our trust long ago, and this does nothing to restore it.

Posted 8:35 AM, 06.05.09 | Permalink

user independent says...

We the People voted these folks into office to make such decisions – that’s what is repeated throughout newspapers and parties (see editorial in this current edition). The omission is that money elected these people, and voters place votes based on ubiquitous campaign literature and expensive commercials rather than the candidate’s decisions and campaign money from the very source for which decisions are made. Political parties are not helping. Republicans are now fractured into Evangelical, Chamber of Commerce (giving Republicans the name ‘party of borrow and spend’), and genuine conservatives. Democrats are the party of tax and spend, so either way we have unrestrained spending. Third parties are not taken seriously by mainstream press and so are dismissed by voters as not legitimate or a wasted vote, even while the same voters are crashing the national website with the volume of protests over bailout money. The best thing that could happen is to vote out a few incumbents resulting in more fair representation for We the People. But until voters take the risk, we’re looking at more of the same, or worse.

Posted 10:08 AM, 06.05.09 | Permalink

user citizentaxpayerjane says...

Hold elections on April 15 instead of November, and make it a holiday so no one is at work. Just think of all the problems we'll solve.

Posted 12:38 PM, 06.05.09 | Permalink

user says...

I believe that the speed cameras are just another way to tax citizen. if it was really a safety issue the government could save lives without ticketing citizens. cameras only takes a picture and issue a $40.00 fine. A speed bump would actual SLOW traffic down, which should be the main objective. also all new cars made would only go to the highest speed limit. this is my thoughts in the time it took me to read this article, why can't my government think of ways to help today's/tomorrow issues without spending more tax money.

Posted 12:20 PM, 06.06.09 | Permalink