Longview voters won't decide on red light cameras
LONGVIEW, Wash. - Thousands of people signed a petition to let citizens vote if they want to keep red light cameras in Longview, but in a close vote on Wednesday city council members decided to not let that happen.
Initiative activist Tim Eyman lobbied to put the cameras to a vote. Despite 3,600 signatures backing up his position, four council members voted to throw the petition out.
“From my point of view, the initiative was illegal,” said Mayor Kurt Anagnostou.
Anagnostou is against the cameras himself, but said the city put them in last year in part because a majority of citizens said they wanted them.
He also cited a statute that gives local government the right to pass ordinances that cannot be overturned through voter initiative.
Longview has a contract with the company that installed the cameras and could face a lawsuit if they’re removed before May 2012.
Eyman and some of the council members didn’t buy that argument.
“If the initiative loses, there’s not lawsuit. There’s no harm to come from letting voters vote,” he said. “They took that right away today.”
Voters will get their voices heard to some extent come November. The council agreed to let citizens hold an advisory vote. The outcome will just be a recommendation to the council and will not be binding.
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