Red-light camera revenue is falling across central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. — According to data compiled by 9 Investigates, one-third of central Florida’s 15 municipalities that use red-light cameras have seen month-to-month declines in red-light camera revenue.

In addition, total collections for the entire area are down 25 percent when comparing month-to-month numbers.

Palm Coast, Groveland, Haines City, Winter Park and Orlando all experienced drops in revenue when comparing collection data for 2013 and 2014, the most recent numbers available from the state.

Among the cities with drops in collections, none is greater than Orlando. Comparing November 2013 to November 2014, Orlando dropped from $139,274 to $86,154.

While almost every city and county saw a drops in revenue for at least one month in the timeframe, Orange County was the outlier.

In 2013, Orange County announced plans to add an additional 40 cameras. At the same time, Orange County also moved three cameras from intersections on the west side of the county to new locations.

The county said the decision to move the cameras was made because drivers had become accustomed to the camera locations.

Of the three major camera vendors serving Florida, most require monthly payments per camera, regardless of revenue generated.

According to a report by the state’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability that the “largest red light program expense is payments to vendors, which accounted for 49 percent of total money collected through red light violations over a three-year period.”

WFTV