From Citizens to Abolish Red Light Cameras' Facebook page
CHICAGO, IL – Sunday, Citizens to Abolish Red Light Cameras stood with State Representative Ken Dunkin to call for a floor vote on HB0141, Dunkin's bill to end red light camera and speed camera enforcement in Illinois.
Federal prosecutors said Chicago's red light camera provider Redflex representatives dishonestly acquired $131 million in contracts between 2002 and 2011. The jury found former Chicago Department of Transportation official John Bills guilty of taking bribes. He faces a 20-year prison sentence.
"In the wake of former CDOT official John Bills' guilty verdict, the Citizens to Abolish Red Light Cameras are calling on House Speaker Mike Madigan to immediately bring House Bill 0141 up for a vote in the General Assembly," Mark Wallace, Director of the group, said.
"It is time for Speaker Madigan to take responsibility for a corrupt and unfair system that he and his cronies helped bring to Chicago."
In the Redflex corruption trial, federal prosecutors linked Bills and Redflex corporation to Mike Madigan and the 13th Ward Democrats through campaign donations and dealings with several well connected lobbyists and attorneys in Chicago, the group said.
Bills was at one time a precinct captain and top fundraiser for the 13th Ward Democrat Organization, of which Mike Madigan is Committeeman.
"The time to take action against public corruption is now and we are urging all Chicago and Suburban citizens to contact their state representative and demand they vote to repeal Illinois' unsafe, unfair and unconstitutional photo enforcement programs which were born out of corruption and are no longer legitimate," said Wallace.
HB0141 calls for the immediate end to Red Light and Speed camera enforcement in Illinois.