State & Local
Los Angeles City Council Makes Exemption to Arizona Boycott for Lucrative Traffic Camera Contract
Published June 23, 2010
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Los Angeles council members voted Wednesday to make an exemption to its self-imposed boycott of Arizona, opting to extend a contract with an Arizona-based company that operates enforcement cameras at Los Angeles intersections -- a program that earned the city $6 million last year (AP).
Los Angeles council members voted Wednesday to make an exemption to its self-imposed boycott of Arizona, opting to extend a contract with an Arizona-based company that operates enforcement cameras at Los Angeles intersections -- a program that earned the city $6 million last year.
Los Angeles has led the boycott against Arizona over its controversial immigration law, banning most city travel to the state as well as future contracts with Arizona companies. The city council has argued that the law, which allows local law enforcement to check the immigration status of any suspected illegal, is unconstitutional and could lead to racial profiling.
But council members on Wednesday made an exception to their boycott, voting to extend a lucrative contract with red-light camera operator American Traffic Solutions, based in Scottsdale.
Citing major safety concerns, council members argued that the red light camera program at 32 Los Angeles intersections should be exempt from the boycott.
"The boycott never intended to impede public safety," Los Angeles city councilman Richard Alarcon told the panel.
Members of the Los Angeles Police Department also appeared at the hearing, arguing that the program has been instrumental in reducing the number of accidents at traffic intersections that use the enforcement cameras.
The LAPD said Wednesday that "there have been no red light-related fatalities at any of these 32 intersections since these cameras were installed."
But Councilman Bill Rosendahl questioned the LAPD's findings, citing other reports that rear-end traffic collisions have nearly tripled at red light camera intersections.
"Since the stated goal of this program is safety, shouldn't we be looking at alternative solutions?" Rosendahl asked.
Others, like assistant city attorney Terry Martin Brown, argued for the exemption by stating that the Arizona-based contractor has an office in California and also employs Californians.
The red light cameras record traffic violations and are intended to deter people from running red lights, causing potentially fatal accidents. The program earned Los Angeles a reported $6 million in 2009. An expansion of the contract, which expires June 30, would cost the city $2.3 million.
I don't get how they can boycott AZ for this anyway since they have the same law on their books! ::)
the same way that the labor department is spending our tax dollars to adverstise and help illegals get minimum wages from the people that hire them. This is bullsh**.
Steve, this is known, in polite terms, putting one's mouth where the money is. :P
Kshillbillys, California has a similar law, but not the same law. Arizona's law states that an individual can be pulled over if an officer thinks that person might be in the country illegally. California's law states that an individual must be pulled over for an infraction such as speeding, suspicion of DUI, running a red light, etc. Then once the person is stopped, the officer can question their legal status in this country.
Larryj
Larry, did you actually read the arizona law?
Yes, Billy, I did or I thought I did. I did not read the amended bill nor the followup House bill. Forgive me. I will shut up on this particular thread.
Larryj
LOL... Larry, the California law is actually harder on the illegals than the AZ law except CA does not enforce it. That's why they have 3+ million illegals in their state. I posted the CA law sometime back and will see if I can find it again.
The arizona law also allows citizens to sue law enforcement if they are not enforcing the immigration law. As if the police down there didn't have enough to worry about. The law also makes racial profiling illegal, which I'm sure many of you would disagree with, especially when it comes to identifying terrorists among the middle-eastern population. Frankly, I'm not sure why the right supports this bill. Its not well written and contains a lot of potential for people to exploit the state.
If law enforcement isn't doing their job then they should be sued and removed from that job. If they would start cracking down on some of these illegals their crime rate would drop.
They are afraid of them. LEOs do as they are told by their superiors just like anybody else. Suing just gets lawyers involved, costs lots of money, takes forever and solves little. Every time a LEO has to go to court they are off the street. Tons of paperwork...off the street. Explain how you would "crack down?"
Seal the border
Round up the illegals and send them back
To ensure that they do not return I would put up two fences. One right on the border, another about a 1/4 mile inside the border. Then mine the hell out of the land between the two fences and let the explosives do the rest. I would give the farmers and ranchers along the border the authority to shoot first and ask for I.D. later. You see, its really very simple. If you want to come into this country then do it legally. Next, I would locate the coca fields and such, in mexico and s. america, then napalm them. Drug dealers and pushers would be met with an immediate death sentence on the spot.
Yeah....real good plan there Bucky.......
Works for me.
Sounds pretty NOT like a good idea to me.
Mined borders=armed camp or concentration camp...neither of which is a place I want to live...go ahead turn the Country into one huge interment camp yall are so against.
Napalm=CANCER to anybody in the area or even CLOSE to the area......which is somethin I would not wish on ANYBODY even somebody I hate. There are innocents livin next to those fields......victims of their economies. NOT acceptable.
Theres a pretty big difference between a secure border and a concentration camp. No one is saying that you can't come in or go out only that you do it legally.
The application of Napalm does not cause cancer. Espcially if only used a few times. It is basically a gel-gas bomb that incenerates everything within its blast radius. The chemicals used in it are burnt off in the explosion.
As for the so-called innocents, give me a break.
Example.....you and your family live next to a big pot farm/poppy field whatever. You have nothing to do with said field...some gung ho f-er comes in and napalms it...burns up it, the people who own it, your house, two of your kids and your wife, your neighbors kids, and scars another neighbors family for life......is that cool?
Following Bucky's reasoning, if he lived next to a meth house, he'd have to be busted, just the same as the occupants of the meth lab...Hey...Works for me.
QuoteTheres a pretty big difference between a secure border and a concentration camp. No one is saying that you can't come in or go out only that you do it legally.
What if it is decided "legally" doesn't include YOU?
What difference really? Big fences...razor wire....land mines....keep anybody from goin in or out unless they are "cleared" PRETTY friggin easy for one to become the other. All you who talk about "securing the borders" with fences or otherwise are the same ones who are always spoutin the scare scenarios about fema camps etc. WHAT THE HELL is the diffence? One GREAT BIG ONE or a bunch of little bitty ones? YOU CAN'T BE FREE IF YOU ARE FENCED IN!!!!!! I don't give a damn if the fence is ONE mile away or a THOUSAND miles away. How hard is that to comprehend really? Just a bigger jail.
I know what napalm is.
I could be wrong on this, but I thought deliberate napalm use on civilians was banned many years ago.
Quote from: pamagain on July 05, 2010, 01:45:25 PM
Example.....you and your family live next to a big pot farm/poppy field whatever. You have nothing to do with said field...some gung ho f-er comes in and napalms it...burns up it, the people who own it, your house, two of your kids and your wife, your neighbors kids, and scars another neighbors family for life......is that cool?
Thats right, lets just forget the fact that our military has and uses these things called "smart bombs". We have the technology and capability for very surgical strikes. Its not like we'd be using mass carpet bombing techniques like in WWII or Vietnam.
Quote from: Catwoman on July 05, 2010, 02:39:12 PM
Following Bucky's reasoning, if he lived next to a meth house, he'd have to be busted, just the same as the occupants of the meth lab...Hey...Works for me.
Nope. Not even close. You see, if I lived next to a meth house I would report everything I saw to law enforcement. License plate numbers, physical descriptions of people, etc. If law enforcement failed to act on the info after a reasonable time then the meth house would meet with a terrible accident and burn to the ground.
Quote from: pamagain on July 05, 2010, 03:22:27 PM
What if it is decided "legally" doesn't include YOU?
What difference really? Big fences...razor wire....land mines....keep anybody from goin in or out unless they are "cleared"...
The difference is the reasoning behind it Pam. Fema camps and concentration camps etc, exist for the extermination of a certain element of people. Border fences exist to protect a nations sovergnity and to help ensure that its borders and citizens are protected. If we aren't going to secure our borders then what is the point of having a country? Why not just say to the world "hey, we don't care who or what you are, or what your intentions are, come on we won't stop ya"
Diane, using napalm on the fields that the drug cartels grow isn't the same as using it on civilians.
got time on mmy hands today..can ya tell? Otherwise I wouldn't even be botherin with this exercise in futility.
QuoteThats right, lets just forget the fact that our military has and uses these things called "smart bombs". We have the technology and capability for very surgical strikes.
yeah...smart bombs only take out one house and leave everybody else untouched....ok.......NOT
QuoteIf law enforcement failed to act on the info after a reasonable time then the meth house would meet with a terrible accident and burn to the ground.
then you would be guilty of arson and murder if anybody was home.
QuoteThe difference is the reasoning behind it Pam. Fema camps and concentration camps etc, exist for the extermination of a certain element of people. Border fences exist to protect a nations sovergnity and to help ensure that its borders and citizens are protected.
the REASONING behind it is the same........control the movements of the humans both INSIDE and OUTSIDE of said fence. Why is it so hard to grasp the concept that building a CAGE either to keep somebody IN or OUT is NOT freedom?
Let me try to explain this so you will UNDERstand it. I think immigrants should come into the country LEGALLY...in a perfect world they would. That aside........the very IDEA of a FENCE....electrified,mined, whatever.......closing off the borders from comin in OR goin out makes my SKIN crawl and the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. ANYbody who cannot wrap their minds around the concept that what KEEPS THEM OUT KEEPS YOU IN just boggles my mind. What kind of freedom is THAT??? the freedom to live in your CAGE???? Seriously WHAT is SO HARD to grasp about that????? Justify it till you turn blue and fall over bud.. I ain't buyin what you're sellin.
I'll just take my freedom even if it DOES mean I gotta speak a little spanish....THANK you very much.
Pam you might want to do a little research on military weapons before you go spouting off about them. Because Yes, we do have bombs capable of targeting one house without damaging another.
Guitly of murder and arson....so be it. Chances are that if somone died in a meth house fire it would be a meth head, so no big loss there. Arson, only if they could prove it was me, which they couldn't.
As for the whole freedom thing...I have no intention of ever leaving this country. So a fence doesn't really bother me.
QuoteAs for the whole freedom thing...I have no intention of ever leaving this country. So a fence doesn't really bother me.
Bothers me. I don't like fences. I'm not goin to change my opinion neither are you...good enough.
QuotePam you might want to do a little research on military weapons before you go spouting off about them. Because Yes, we do have bombs capable of targeting one house without damaging another.
I don't spout off. I voice opinions. Mine. Fallout damages others. I'm not going to change my opinion neither are you. Good enough.
QuoteGuitly of murder and arson....so be it.
Then I reckon that means you are of the two wrongs make a right school. So be it. Not going to change my opinion and stance neither are you. Good enough.
Quote from: pamagain on July 05, 2010, 07:19:06 PM
then you would be guilty of arson and murder if anybody was home.
Not at all, its called self defense. Boy would i love to be on a jury when someone blows up a meth lab. I'll guarantee they walk.
I hate meth probly more than anybody you know.
right, because smart bombs are working oh so well in Iraq and Afghanistan, right varmit? By the way, how does a smart bomb work controlling the uncontrollable force that is fire?
You can't police the entire border. The best solution is to find the reasons that they come here illegally, and then take away the incentive. No jobs for illegals, no reason for them to come here illegally. The major parties have slacked off on enforcement because of corporate campaign contributions. BOTH PARTIES.
"You can't police the entire border. The best solution is to find the reasons that they come here illegally, and then take away the incentive. No jobs for illegals, no reason for them to come here illegally. The major parties have slacked off on enforcement because of corporate campaign contributions. BOTH PARTIES."
You are obviously not well informed on why many of the "Illegals" are here. Many are not here for jobs working in legal bisinesses, many are here for Criminal activities, Terriost activities, Drug activities and to mooch off of the system. We can police the Border and the quicker we get started the better. We need to stop all immigration until we can get a handle on it. The cost to police the borders will be high but the cost to not do it will be even higher.
QuoteYou are obviously not well informed on why many of the "Illegals" are here. Many are not here for jobs working in legal businesses, many are here for Criminal activities, Terrorist activities, Drug activities and to mooch off of the system.
It's quite possible you've hit the nail on the head here.
The disagreement in WHY illegals are here is why there is disagreement on how to handle them.
People who believe illegals are here for economic reasons will ALWAYS have a different solution than people convinced the illegals are here for nefarious reasons.
Quote from: Anmar on July 06, 2010, 09:13:50 PM
right, because smart bombs are working oh so well in Iraq and Afghanistan, right varmit? By the way, how does a smart bomb work controlling the uncontrollable force that is fire?
Actually, if you'd actually take the time to review their track record "smart" bombs have proven themselves time and again. As for the bombs being able to control fire, simple. The chemical compounds used in are usually burned up during the explosion, so the desired effect is achieved without much damage outside the target area.
As for not being able to police the entire border, I would think that we can. Bring our troops home and put them on the border.
As for why the illegals are here, personally, I don't care, I want them gone. Companies that knowing hire them should be put out of business, welfare payments, schooling, medical care etc, should be denied to illegals.
I agree with you, Varmit...The term illegal alien has that word 'ILLEGAL' in it...I have noticed that it has become politically incorrect to use that term anymore. Yet, that is exactly they are...Anyone who is here illegally needs to be deported immediately, no exceptions, no return ticket, along with a bill for all the money that they've sapped out of our economy and federal funds. If you want to come back, do it like the rest of the immigrants have done over the last two centuries...APPLY...WAIT...PAY FUNDS TO GET HERE...REGISTER...BECOME A GAINFULLY EMPLOYED MEMBER OF THIS SOCIETY. My ancesters are so recent that their feet are basically still wet...And WE did it that way...Just because you can walk across what is normally (when not exanded to a huge river) a streambed doesn't mean that you should automatically be allowed entrance to this country!
Had no intention of butting in here but Steve an Varmit have missed a whole part of the meth thing, and we did have one lab busted yesterday. It was in a single story house and was raided by police and did not burn BUT most of the meth labs here are in apartment buildings. It blows and sets the building on fire, the other residents and the fire fighters are in jeopardy and the lab's owner will not walk. The apt's owner of record is arrested
Quote from: Diane Amberg on July 09, 2010, 01:35:11 PM
I blows and sets the building on fire, the other residents and the fire fighters are in jeopardy and the lab's owner will not walk. The apt's owner of record is arrested
Why would the apt owner be arrested?? You cannot be held responsible for someone elses actions. It would take a whole lot of evidence that the apt owner knew about it and did nothing.
Sorry, I misstated what meant.The renter of the apartment on record, the person or persons who signed the lease is/are arrested. They can't pretend they didn't know if they illegally sublet to someone else, as some do around here.The building or complex owner can also be arrested if it is shown they knew and looked the other way. Usually that happens when they are being supplied by the person who has the lab. Cute, huh? Even if they sublet legally it can get very complicated because the students often leave who knows what in the Apt. building storage rooms for after they come back from summer. The subleter might be held responsible if they had access to the space.That's how lawyers keep busy! ;DIt really can get complicated and dangerous.
Quote from: Diane Amberg on July 09, 2010, 01:35:11 PM
It was in a single story house and was raided by police and did not burn BUT most of the meth labs here are in apartment buildings. It blows and sets the building on fire, the other residents and the fire fighters are in jeopardy and the lab's owner will not walk. The apt's owner of record is arrested
Diane, I just can't find any pity for the other residents. Its not like a meth lab can be kept secret. You can smell them a mile away. If the other residents allowed this in their complex then it is on them.
Yes, unfortunately I do know what a meth lab smells like. But the one I was near, you could NOT smell it outside the Apt., don't know why. Inside the door, no question. I'm afraid to ask how you would know anything about it. But I'm sure lightning will strike me again if I say any more and I'll once more be misunderstood so I'll shut up..
Diane, yes I know what meth smells like, no I have never used it. I understand your question, know it wasn't personal, so don't worry about the lightning. I have lived in some pretty "shady" areas before. And there is no mistaking that odor.
The one major component of meth is ether. That smell is unmistakeable. That is why the crap blows up like it does, along with the fact that one of the final processes involves a tremendous amount of heat generated by the reactant chemicals. If they survive that, then the ether process is used to purify the compound.
Srkruzich, I have to disagree, the biggest component of meth is NOT ether. It is a well documented fact that the biggest component of meth is "dumbass"...meth cannot be made without some dumbass doing it.
Quote from: Varmit on July 10, 2010, 07:17:15 AM
Srkruzich, I have to disagree, the biggest component of meth is NOT ether. It is a well documented fact that the biggest component of meth is "dumbass"...meth cannot be made without some dumbass doing it.
Dumbass is a terminal condition. Darwin called it survival of the species, and the dumbass's are on the low end of the genepool.
There are many kinds of meth, made with a huge choice of ingredients. Here the common one is crystal, usually made with phosphorus which can overheat and go off with quite a blast. That's part of the danger, they put together this mishmash of stuff and very little in the way of controls. Since any dope can do it, the dopes usually do. Its wonder more don't go boom than do.