Nassau County May Raise Fees on Red Light Violations

Nassau County drivers may have all the more reason to start hitting their brakes in those faint few seconds when traffic lights turn from yellow to red. Aside from the personal safety issues and risks from running a red light, fees from violations issued from the county's red light camera system may be going up.

At Monday's meeting of the , Legis. David Denenberg, D-Merrick, stated that talks within the administration indicated that the fee per red light camera violation could increase from $50 to $75 per violation. The county is also seeking to increase the number of intersections with red light cameras from 50 to 100. Both the increased fine and additional locations require approval from the state. Denenberg and Judi Bosworth, D-Great Neck, were the only legislators to cast votes against the red light administrative fee.

The county will also be tacking on a "documentary fee," which is entirely separate from the red light camera violations. Described as an administrative charge, a spokesperson from Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt's office stated that due to new legislation, there would be a new $15 administrative fee would be assessed per documentary violation. For example, if a driver were to be pulled over and did not have a license with them, it could be dismissed upon proof that person has a license, but a $15 administration fee would still be charged. If that person also did not have a registration, it would be a separate $15 fee, thus bringing the total to $30.

"The change is per violation," the spokesperson said.

Denenberg also mentioned in the context of a discussion on the county's bonded debt that the money produced by red light camera was supposed to help pay for the County's social programs in a special fund.

"To date we're looking for where that fund was created, to date we don't have information that it was created," Denenberg added.

That fund was allegedly to have between $18-22 million and possibly as high as $38 million according to Legislator Kevan Abrahams, D-Hempstead. According to legislation passed unanimously by the legislature in 2009, "all funds collected" by the red light camera initiative would be used "solely to pay for expenses" of the red light cameras and to provide funding for contracts with he Youth Board, Department of Senior Affairs, Department of Veterans Services, Department of Mental Health, and Chemical Dependency and Developmental Disability Services.

Majority Leader Peter Schmitt, R-Massapequa, said Monday that the revenue from the red light cameras was "far below" projections due to difficulties in getting the cameras up and running.

For more information on the county's red light program, click here. The locations of the current red light cameras are as follows:

Baldwin

• Grand Avenue and Merrick Road
• Merrick Road and Milburn Avenue

Bellmore

• Bellmore Avenue Newbridge Road
• Bellmore Avenue and Merrick Road

Bethpage

• Central Avenue and Stewart Avenue

Carle Place

• Glen Cove Road and Old Country Road
• Glen Cove Road and Westbury Avenue

East Garden City/Garden City

• Charles Lindbergh Boulevard and Earle Ovington Boulevard
• Old Country Road and Ring Road

East Meadow

• Hempstead Turnpike and Merrick Avenue
• Hempstead Turnpike and Newbridge Road

East Rockaway

• Atlantic Avenue and Ocean Avenue

Hempstead

• Merrick Avenue and Stewart Avenue/Park Boulevard

Hewlett

• Mill Road and Peninsula Boulevard

Hicksville/Plainview

• Old Country Road and South Oyster Bay Road
• Old Country Road and Jerusalem Avenue
• Broadway and Old Country Road

Island Park

• Austin Boulevard and Long Beach Road

Lawrence

• Nassua Expressway and Rockaway Turnpike

Massapequa

• Merrick Road and Park Boulevard/ Harbor Lane

Merrick

• Merrick Road and Merrick Avenue

New Hyde Park

• Marcus Avenue and New Hyde Park Road

Oceanside

• Long Beach Road and Mott Street
• Long Beach Road and Daly Boulevard
• Atlantic Avenue and Lawson Blvd./Rockaway Avenue

Wantagh

• Old Jerusalem Road and Wantagh Avenue

Westbury

• Post Avenue/Merrick Avenue and Old Country Road
• Old Country Road and School Street
• Glen Cove Road and I.U. Willets Road

Woodmere

• Woodmere Boulevard and Peninsula Boulevard