Speed cameras turned off in Manatee County school zones

In a vote of 5-2, Manatee County commissioners ordered the speed detecting cameras that were installed in 30 school zones across the county to stop ticketing motorists after midnight on March 6.

Commissioner Bob McCann called into the March 4 commission meeting to make the motion that also included terminating the county’s contract with Red Speed, the company that installed the cameras. 

The cameras had been criticized by residents and commissioners alike for being a “money grab.” Since installed in August, the cameras have issued 55,243 citations at $100 a piece. 

Red Speed collects $21 per ticket, and the rest is divvied up among public safety initiatives. 

Commissioners Mike Rahn and Tal Siddique were the only commissioners to oppose the motion.

Both were alarmed by the high number of violations. Rahn admitted to adding to the number after receiving two citations. 

“I thought twice, and I paid my fines,” he said. 

He emphasized that there are over 55,000 people speeding through school zones in Manatee County, and that bad behavior needs to be corrected.