158 replies to this topic

[Darth Lefty]

supermom, there is no issue more likely to put me on the warpath than traffic cameras.

Traffic cameras - both for speeding and red lights - are moneymaking machines. They do not improve traffic safety.

Red light cameras give out tickets for violations that hurt almost no one - such as trying to beat a yellow or a rolling turn - and do nothing to prevent a drunk flying through the intersection cause he wasn't aware it was red.

Red light cameras cause rear-end collisions. Speeding cameras cause traffic jams. Both are due to panicked drivers pounding on the brakes when they suddenly realize they might get ticketed.

Traffic cameras have never survived a public vote. Thus, the camera companies invent fake "local" PACs to try and prevent ballot initiatives from making it to the voters. These are always entirely paid for out of corporate pockets. This behavior is so plainly evil and antisocial that it never works out for them.

The politicians who put in cameras get tossed out, unless there's a system like here... where it's nearly impossible to unseat an incumbent.

We are already wasting countless man-hours every year in this town due to the messed up traffic along F-A and the need to wait for left turn arrows forever. The number of stoplights that should be stop signs in this town is astounding. For Christ's sake don't make it worse.

[Thinkingoutloud]

supermom, there is no issue more likely to put me on the warpath than traffic cameras.

Traffic cameras - both for speeding and red lights - are moneymaking machines. They do not improve traffic safety.

Red light cameras give out tickets for violations that hurt almost no one - such as trying to beat a yellow or a rolling turn - and do nothing to prevent a drunk flying through the intersection cause he wasn't aware it was red.

Red light cameras cause rear-end collisions. Speeding cameras cause traffic jams. Both are due to panicked drivers pounding on the brakes when they suddenly realize they might get ticketed.

Traffic cameras have never survived a public vote. Thus, the camera companies invent fake "local" PACs to try and prevent ballot initiatives from making it to the voters. These are always entirely paid for out of corporate pockets. This behavior is so plainly evil and antisocial that it never works out for them.

The politicians who put in cameras get tossed out, unless there's a system like here... where it's nearly impossible to unseat an incumbent.

We are already wasting countless man-hours every year in this town due to the messed up traffic along F-A and the need to wait for left turn arrows forever. The number of stoplights that should be stop signs in this town is astounding. For Christ's sake don't make it worse.

Be glad we aren't following Arizona's path. They have vans that drive around, like a mobile red light traffic camera, and send out speeding tickets. Talk about out of control!!!

[old soldier]

Be glad we aren't following Arizona's path. They have vans that drive around, like a mobile red light traffic camera, and send out speeding tickets. Talk about out of control!!!

if it makes the city money, folsom ought to look at it....hey yesterday driving down iron point by the high school I saw not one, not two but three motorcycle cops lurking for those who didn't see or quickly slow for the flashing lights...I bet they took in quite a haul.

another thing they could do when the lights are not flashing would be to put out a couple of decoy kids cause they could nail folks then as the signs trickily read "when lights are flashing or children present"

old soldier has always liked motorcycle cops cause they are the modern day calvery and make lots of money for the city

[Bill Z]

if it makes the city money, folsom ought to look at it....hey yesterday driving down iron point by the high school I saw not one, not two but three motorcycle cops lurking for those who didn't see or quickly slow for the flashing lights...I bet they took in quite a haul.

another thing they could do when the lights are not flashing would be to put out a couple of decoy kids cause they could nail folks then as the signs trickily read "when lights are flashing or children present"

old soldier has always liked motorcycle cops cause they are the modern day calvery and make lots of money for the city

I believe the "children present" is to be interpreted as "lots of children present", as in when they are going to and from school enmass or are all outside from a bomb scare/fire alarm, etc. I don't believe a couple of kids on the sidewalk is what is meant by "children present".

I'm not a lawyer, so don't take my word for it, but it is how I feel the intent of the sign is to be interpreted.

[Darth Lefty]

if it makes the city money, folsom ought to look at it....

So look into it. You will find it is a tax administered by for-profit companies, who have no compunctions about paying bribes to get the cameras put in, and creating phony citizen groups containing no citizens to plead for the cameras, and filing suits against the city for breach of contract when the population revolts and kicks the cameras out.

Just for a recent example, ATS and its contractors have spent $230,000 in Bayown, TX to try to suppress a ballot measure kicking the cameras out. All of the money came from the companies and all of it went to consultants, lobbyists and lawyers.

They also do clever things like shortening yellow lights to the minimum time required by law. That decreases safety, but increases revenue. In Baytown the estimate is 40% more accidents and 75% more injury accidents.

But it's hard to stop a gravy train, isn't it?

Arizona's program is ending. The law (which they were planning to ignore, or counting on people not knowing) says that the ticket must be handed to you by a process server. When people found out about this, the tickets that came in the mail went in the round file. Everyone lost their shirts except for the people of AZ.

Meanwhile, here in CA, Superior Court judges have been finding that the reports generated by the camera companies are inadmissible hearsay evidence.

[Kerri Howell]

Red Light Cameras - the Council looked at this a few years ago. The majority of the money goes to the contractor that installs and operates the equipment - very little financial benefit to the City. They are also unpopular with our residents. The council decided not to consider installing them.

Folsom PD in School Zones in the past 2 weeks - every year when school starts, there is strict enforcement in school zones to remind everyone that the speed limit is 25 when children are present. My opinion is that, if you are speeding in a school zone at the time when kids are on their way to school, or when they are being dismissed, you deserve to get a ticket. This is not a conspiracy theory - the speed limits are posted and there are speed limits for a reason. Speeding in a school zone is NOT OK. Kids frequently pay no attention to what they are doing, they are talking, texing, on their I Pods and they think they are invincible (as I am sure most of us did at some point). They are not looking for speeding cars and often don't look to see if there are cars coming at them. SLOW DOWN EVERYONE

[JRudi]

She's an engineer. Math is more likely her strong suit.
I'd rather judge my city council candidates on their vision for our city rather than their typos.

Ducky: I much prefer judging political candidates on their character. This, I have concluded, ultimately dictates their decisions. And, don't be too concerned about knowledge and judgment, at least not initially. These will come in time from experience.

And, while we're on the subject of character, I would like to encourage everyone who follows this forum to start paying closer attention to candidates' characters. Learn more about each candidate, and watch how they conduct themselves. Actions are often more revealing than words. Also, pay close attention to the people they associate with. This will often give a clearer picture of their character.

Families now comprise the largest segment of our community. Many came here within the last decade or so to raise their children in an environment where they would be safe, attend good schools, and have access to quality recreational programs and facilities. Frankly, we need to do a better job of making sure that the people who represent us in local government recognize the needs of the community. Unless they share these same values, we have no assurance that the things we value will be protected. And, those who don't share these values are not suited to serve us.

[JRudi]

Red Light Cameras - the Council looked at this a few years ago. The majority of the money goes to the contractor that installs and operates the equipment - very little financial benefit to the City. They are also unpopular with our residents. The council decided not to consider installing them.

Folsom PD in School Zones in the past 2 weeks - every year when school starts, there is strict enforcement in school zones to remind everyone that the speed limit is 25 when children are present.

Actually, studies have shown that red light cameras can be an effective tool in reducing red light violations at busy intersections. Frankly, this is a safety issue, and safety should always be placed at a higher priority than things such as costs/revenues or popularity with the public.

However, red light cameras have proven to be very successful from a revenue vs. expenditures perspective in many agencies. For example, Elk Grove recently installed them at several of their busy interestections, and they are quite pleased with the results. They have not only been effective at reducing red-light violations, but have also provided some surprising revenues.

Also, studies have shown that short-term increased speed enforcement generally has very temporary results. Speeds often return to prior levels within just days or weeks afterwards. Rather than concentrating enforcement at certain locations for a limited period of time as Folsom P.D. is doing, they should try to have a more uniform presence year-round. Don't just be seen for a few days in concentrated force at the beginning of the school year and then go away. Make a point to be seen in school zones throughout the school year. I realize that they have limited resources, but spreading what they have around in all school zones continuously would be more effective in the long run than what they are currently doing. Also, signage and markings in school vicinities should be looked at as well. Make sure that it is VERY clear to motorists that they are entering a school zone and that they need to reduce their speed when required. Lastly, the speed display units can be very effective in controlling speeds as well, and they are relatively inexpensive to employ. Folsom P.D. should make more use of these.

[JRudi]

On the SOI, I am not aware of any specific "plans". The only plan that I have seen is more related to land uses, commercial versus residential,open space, school sites and housing densities. It it not any where near the detail we get for specific projects, like a shopping center or subdivision - those will come forward as individual projects, just like they always do - at some point in the what will likely be the distant future, given the ecomony. LAFCO requires a general plan before they can even hear the annexation application - this is general planning, not project planning. If the landowners were looking for easy approvals on the project side - they would be better off developing this as the County, as they are easier to get past than Folsom Planning Commission and City Council. You should cast your votes based upon what you believe and on what people have done in the past (in the circumstance where an individual has a past history).

Actually, if you were to check with the city's Planning Department, I'm sure you would discover that a "Specific Plan" is being proposed to be included in the many planning documents for the SOI. Many cities use Specific Plans in the entitlement process to establish certain planning and engineering standards for projects to simplify the subdivision and site development approval processes, which occur later. Folsom has used this tool in the past in the entitlement process for many of its larger projects including Empire Ranch, The Parkway, and Broadstone. I would imagine they are using it again.

The land development process is very complex and often difficult to understand, especially for those that are unfamiliar with it. And, it's amazing how many people who claim to know it and perhaps should know it, really don't.

[ducky]

Ducky: I much prefer judging political candidates on their character. This, I have concluded, ultimately dictates their decisions. And, don't be too concerned about knowledge and judgment, at least not initially. These will come in time from experience.

And, while we're on the subject of character, I would like to encourage everyone who follows this forum to start paying closer attention to candidates' characters. Learn more about each candidate, and watch how they conduct themselves. Actions are often more revealing than words. Also, pay close attention to the people they associate with. This will often give a clearer picture of their character.

Families now comprise the largest segment of our community. Many came here within the last decade or so to raise their children in an environment where they would be safe, attend good schools, and have access to quality recreational programs and facilities. Frankly, we need to do a better job of making sure that the people who represent us in local government recognize the needs of the community. Unless they share these same values, we have no assurance that the things we value will be protected. And, those who don't share these values are not suited to serve us.

JRudi, thanks for all the unsolicited advice on judging a city council candidate's character. I've lived in Folsom for 27 years. I've got a pretty good idea of who the players are. If you think a flip comment made about typos is the sole basis for my voting choice, then maybe you're not as good at judging character as you think you are.

[JRudi]

I really appreciate that you are the only council member that will stick your neck out and reply on this board for all to see even though you take heat for it.

Ducky: I didn't mention anything in my post about my ability to judge character. But, the above quote from you did catch my eye.

Given how long you have lived in town, I'm sure you are aware of the underhanded, back door deals and nepotism that plagued city government during the Jack Kipp era. You don't have to look back far in the histories of the current city council to find out who was linked to Mr. Kipp. This is where she learned how to conduct herself. Anyone who has lived in town as long as you have and care for this community should find this scary.

I again urge you and others to judge the people who are asking our support to lead our community for the next four years not by their words, but by their actions. For example, look at what Mike Kozlowski has done. He has only been in town for a few years, but he has sacrificed much of his time for the benefit of our children. And, compare this to the actions of the council member that you admire for simply speaking her mind.

[ducky]

Ducky: I didn't mention anything in my post about my ability to judge character. But, the above quote from you did catch my eye.

Given how long you have lived in town, I'm sure you are aware of the underhanded, back door deals and nepotism that plagued city government during the Jack Kipp era. You don't have to look back far in the histories of the current city council to find out who was linked to Mr. Kipp. This is where she learned how to conduct herself. Anyone who has lived in town as long as you have and care for this community should find this scary.

I again urge you and others to judge the people who are asking our support to lead our community for the next four years not by their words, but by their actions. For example, look at what Mike Kozlowski has done. He has only been in town for a few years, but he has sacrificed much of his time for the benefit of our children. And, compare this to the actions of the council member that you admire for simply speaking her mind. I guess I just don't place much value on being a chain smoker and hanging out in low-life bars.

This isn't about Kerri speaking her mind. She actually responds to email, checks things, out and gets back to you when you have a concern. I have yet to have another council member do that with the exception of Eric King in the past. I actually don't agree with Kerri's position on everything, but, you're right, I do admire that she's not afraid to take the unpopular position with her fellow council members and side with residents on issues.

I don't care what she does in her personal life as long as it's legal. Last time I checked, smoking and drinking are still legal. As long as she still wants to keep Folsom a safe and vibrant place to live, she can do what she wants in her free time... even get a tattoo and wear lingerie (horrors!).

Frankly, my votes are up for grabs this election, but if this is how Mike Kowzloski operates, it's not doing a thing for me.

[camay2327]

Who is JRudi? A new person on the block or a regular with a new user name?

[JRudi]

This isn't about Kerri speaking her mind. She actually responds to email, checks things, out and gets back to you when you have a concern. I have yet to have another council member do that with the exception of Eric King in the past. I actually don't agree with Kerri's position on everything, but, you're right, I do admire that she's not afraid to take the unpopular position with her fellow council members and side with residents on issues.

I don't care what she does in her personal life as long as it's legal. Last time I checked, smoking and drinking are still legal. As long as she still wants to keep Folsom a safe and vibrant place to live, she can do what she wants in her free time... even get a tattoo and wear lingerie (horrors!).

Frankly, my votes are up for grabs this election, but if this is how Mike Kowzloski operates, it's not doing a thing for me.

Ducky: I would encourage you to look at the big picture, and not place so much priority on council members who respond to e-mails. Look at their overall voting records, and judge them based on this. Also, you need to find out which of the current council members have ties to developers, and specifically the ones who own land south of Hwy 50.

These connections have, and will continue to have, grave consequences to our community. Even still today, money is flowing out of city coffers to developers. Some of these council members have made mistakes that have cost this community tens of millions of dollars that ended up in the bank accounts of wealthy developers. And, the council member most guilty of this is the one that you compliment for responding to your e-mails. I would encourage you to look into the following issues and come to your own conclusion:

- The Parkway Development Agreement: Locks in impact fees for the life of the agreement. No other development agreement does this. These fees pay for the infrastruture needed to serve the project. Since costs of infrastucture have gone up over time, the taxpayers are now paying the difference.

- The Aeroject Water Agreement: Provided a guarantee treated water source for a project outside the city. We did this without getting anything of material in return. And, regardless of what this council member has argued on this forum, we were not obligated to serve this area.

- Sales tax sharing agreement for the Palladio project: Despite the project having been delayed by the developer for several years, the council recently extended the agreement to provide him additional years of sales tax sharing from the project. The community received nothing in return for this.

These are just a few examples. There are countless more.

I urge you to dig more and ask questions of the people who know and will tell the truth. Look for the people inside city hall who are not afraid to speak the truth. This is where I get my information. They know the truth, and many are now willing to reveal it. They are probably the most disgusted with the decades of on-going corruption.

[JRudi]

Who is JRudi? A new person on the block or a regular with a new user name?

A long time Folsom resident and reader of this forum, but new to posting.