Mayor Lightfoot says she will not 'sit idly by' and allow City Council to raise ticket threshold back up for speed cameras
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Another showdown is expected this week over the threshold for issuing speed camera tickets in Chicago.
The City Council may vote to raise threshold for speed camera tickets from 6 mph over the limit to 10 mph over the limit. The Finance Committee last month voted 16 to 15 in favor or raising the threshold back, but a final vote was put off.
At a City Council meeting in June, Ald. Jason Ervin (28th) and six other aldermen moved to "defer and publish" the ordinance, pushing off a final vote until the next City Council meeting – which is coming up on Wednesday.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot stopped just short of threatening a veto if the City Council raises the threshold back – saying she would not "stand idly by" and allow the Council to "do something that I know will be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the city."
"It makes no sense for us to increase the speed around the parks and schools when we know what the horrific consequences are for pedestrians and for other drivers," Lightfoot said.
The mayor emphasized that there were 174 traffic fatalities attributed to speeding last year.
Lightfoot has stuck by her decision ever since the threshold changed a few months ago.
But some have called the lower threshold a money grab.
Mayor Lightfoot has previously admitted that raising the limit will cost the city nearly $45 million geared toward for other public safety programs.
There are 162 speed cameras across Chicago.