Chicago Camera Front Group Thwarts Texas Referendum
An Australian company has hired kingmakers from Chicago, Illinois to prevent Texas residents from being able to decide whether or not red light cameras should be used in their community. A “grassroots” group calling itself the Texas Traffic Safety coalition filed a lawsuit to stop the city of Port Lavaca, Texas from holding a referendum on the photo enforcement program run by Melbourne-based Redflex. Although no court order was issued in the case, the city council decided not to hold the election, despite the city charter’s instruction that the council must place a qualified petition on the ballot.
According to the March 3 Texas Secretary of State filing that created the Texas Traffic Safety Coalition, the group consists of three directors: David Goldenberg, Gregory Goldner and David Smolensky. All three are officers of Resolute Consulting, a public relations firm based in Chicago, Illinois. Redflex is one of the firm’s satisfied clients.
“Resolute has set a new bar for the industry,” Redflex executive vice president for marketing Christina Weekes wrote on a blurb provided for Resolute’s website. “Not only were you all laser focused on the issues but you made traction early.”
Redflex Traffic Systems is listed as part of a long list of “partners” in the coalition that disguises the company’s funding for the front group. Rival photo enforcement firm American Traffic Solutions is conspicuously absent from the list of group members.
Goldenberg, Goldner and Smolensky are key players in Chicago’s Democratic political machine. Goldner was a senior aide to former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and worked on the congressional campaign of current Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the campaign of former Governor Rod Blagojevich. Another Resolute front group known as For a Better Chicago raised $855,000 in anonymous campaign donations to dole out to favored city council candidates. The Windy City also happens to be the largest red light camera contract in the country for Redflex comprising 440 approaches that generate more than $50 million a year for the city.
Redflex wants to stop a referendum in Port Lavaca and other cities because Texas voters have rejected automated ticketing machines in Houston, Baytown and College Station. Photo enforcement has never survived a public vote.
Courtesy: Thenewspaper.com]
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Ahem, gentlemen I would like to point out to those of you whining about campaign corruption and the "big evil" corporations that these guys in the article are all big time Democrats. Not Republicans and sure as hell not conservatives. Most anti-camera referendums are started and organized by conservatives. And what do conservatives really want? They want all candidates to collect as much money from anyone or any organization that wants to give them money. It's called political free speech. But there's one catch. It has to be public information. Who donated and how much. Available on the internet. Then you can know who they are beholden to. Liberals can avoid candidates that take donations from the NRA and the Tea Party and defense contractors. Conservatives can avoid candidates who take donations from PETA and George Soros and GE. And we can all know who "double dips" - corporations and organizations who give to both candidates so they can have influence no matter who wins. Under these circumstances, a candidate would have to think carefully before accepting some donations. Sunshine is the best anti-septic when it comes to politics.
@Psarhjinian You and I are polar opposites politically, but I think there may be a bit of common ground. I share your distrust of power and authority. Whether you agree or disagree with traffic light enforcement via camera, one thing seems crystal clear. The red light camera scam demonstrates perfectly the danger inherent in crony-capitalism: the government's monopoly use of force to further constituent corporate interests, both stealing from the citizenry at the point of a gun.