Hispanic Chicago Aldermen Introduce Resolution to Ban Red-Light Cameras Installed by Arizona Company

Hispanic aldermen from Chicago are pushing for a boycott of just about everything from Arizona, that includes the city's 189 red-light cameras that were installed by Arizona-based Redflex Traffic Systems, which installed the cameras and road sensors. The company also operates the software and mails out the $100 tickets along with photographic evidence of the alleged red-light traffic violation, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The city signed a five-year $52 million contract with Redflex in 2008.

In 2008, the Daley administration signed a five-year, $52 million contract with Redflex that cut the cost of each camera system from $100,000 to $24,500. It also included maintenance for cameras installed after Oct. 22, 2008. But the "proprietary nature of the technology" kept the city from including operations and maintenance for the 136 original camera systems. That's why Redflex has a separate five-year, $32 million contract just to maintain those 136. Chicago's Hispanic aldermen have introduced two resolutions responding to Arizona's immigration crackdown. One would condemn an Arizona law they view as "racist." The other calls for a boycott. City Council hearings have not yet been scheduled.

Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th) acknowledged that the push to boycott Arizona companies might not be financially feasible even after 2013, when the Redflex contracts are due to expire. "The idea is to boycott Arizona with the expectation that it will hurt them financially, not to do the reverse," Maldonado said. "To the extent it's gonna hurt us, it wouldn't make any sense." Source: Sun Times

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out in Chicago in the coming weeks. Though I agree that something drastic must be done to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, racial profiling will occur and lead to lawsuits, which could cost the state millions.