McHenry County Blog

State Rep. candidate Dave McSweeney is taking on “Big Brother” in his latest direct mail piece.

This is number six.

Appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney has not sent out at campaign-financed mailing.  Neither has challenger Danielle Rowe.

The content is below (click to enlarge):

McSweeney pledges to follow State Senator Dan Duffy’s lead in fighting red light cameras. Duffy did not support the appointment of Gaffney to fill State Rep. Mark Beaubien’s seat.

Both Lake in the Hills and West Dundee are looking at red light camera systems.

Both are touting them as ways to increase traffic safety.

Bolingbrook reported accidents at one intersection were cut by 40% over a six-month period, according to an Elgin Courier News article Friday.

What I found more interesting was the difference in cost between Lake in the Hills and West Dundee.

According to Rebecca O’Halloran’s article, West Dundee will pay $1,500 a month for each “camera.” This will be paid out of fines on motorists.

And, if there isn’t that much in fines, the company, RedSpeed Illinois, out of Lombard, will “pay the difference,” the article says.

In Lake in the Hills, a company called LaserCraft, based in Norcross, Georgia, will charge $4,495 per “approach,“ according to the contract signed July 26, 2007. I found nothing in the contract that would allow Lake in the Hills to pay less, if that amount were not collected in traffic fines.

Maybe I’m missing something, but it certainly appears as if Lake in the Hills will be paying more than West Dundee.

= = = = =
The pictures are of the northbound lanes of the intersection of Randall Road and Acorn Lane (across from Lowe’s) where the first of Lake in the Hills’ cameras are already installed. They will take pictures of vehicles that run red lights.

Other places to be considered for future cameras are the southbound lanes at Acorn, the north and southbound lanes at Randall and Miller Roads, and the southbound lanes at Algonquin Road (the extension of Route 62).

All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Both Lake in the Hills and West Dundee are looking at red light camera systems.

Both are touting them as ways to increase traffic safety.

Bolingbrook reported accidents at one intersection were cut by 40% over a six-month period, according to an Elgin Courier News article Friday.

What I found more interesting was the difference in cost between Lake in the Hills and West Dundee.

According to Rebecca O’Halloran’s article, West Dundee will pay $1,500 a month for each “camera.” This will be paid out of fines on motorists.

And, if there isn’t that much in fines, the company, RedSpeed Illinois, out of Lombard, will “pay the difference,” the article says.

In Lake in the Hills, a company called LaserCraft, based in Norcross, Georgia, will charge $4,495 per “approach,“ according to the contract signed July 26, 2007. I found nothing in the contract that would allow Lake in the Hills to pay less, if that amount were not collected in traffic fines.

Maybe I’m missing something, but it certainly appears as if Lake in the Hills will be paying more than West Dundee.

= = = = =
The pictures are of the northbound lanes of the intersection of Randall Road and Acorn Lane (across from Lowe’s) where the first of Lake in the Hills’ cameras are already installed. They will take pictures of vehicles that run red lights.

Other places to be considered for future cameras are the southbound lanes at Acorn, the north and southbound lanes at Randall and Miller Roads, and the southbound lanes at Algonquin Road (the extension of Route 62).

All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.