School zone camera revenue still in limbo in New Orleans
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New Orleans has about 100 traffic cameras in school zones. Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios
School zone cameras are expected to turn on Friday in New Orleans, but the fight over where the fines go is still unresolved.
Why it matters: Parents and school leaders want to know if ticket revenue will reach classrooms this year.
The big picture: A new law was meant to get more money to schools, but bureaucratic holdups have left millions in limbo.
- City officials have been working with the Orleans Parish School Board, the Archdiocese of New Orleans and other schools for more than a year to finalize agreements on how to share the money.
The latest: The New Orleans City Council approved an agreement with the school board this month for a 60-40 split, according to Marie Fazio with The Times-Picayune.
- The school board will take 40% of the net revenue and divide it among the schools, Fazio writes.
- The school board still needs to vote on the deal. Its next meeting is Aug. 21, but it's unclear if the agreement will be on the agenda.
- The Archdiocese of New Orleans and the mayor's office did not respond to inquiries about the status of their agreement.
How it works: The law, which went into effect last year, requires cities to sign agreements to share ticket revenue with school authorities before they can collect fines from traffic cameras.
- The fines pay for operating the cameras, and the rest is divided between the school's governing authority and the city.
- If it isn't in a school zone, the revenue can only be used for drainage infrastructure.
Between the lines: The money previously went to the city's operating budget.
- The cameras generate about $15 million to $20 million annually, according to The Lens.
Zoom in: The city says it has been putting the ticket money into an escrow account since last August.
- About $2 million has been collected, The Times-Picayune reports.
What we're watching: Another new law, which goes into effect Friday, allows public officials to be charged with malfeasance in office if they violate the traffic camera law.
- State Sen. Stewart Cathey, R-Monroe, told Ben Myers with The Times-Picayune that he believes Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration is in violation because fines are collected without revenue-sharing agreements.
The bottom line: No matter where the fines go, you still shouldn't speed near schools.
- Classes start next week for some, with more opening throughout the month.
Go deeper: List of cameras organized by speed, school zone and red light enforcement.