Sunday, January 12, 2025
Democratic Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton and fellow Legislator Seth Koslow are leading the charge for a proposed bill that would reimburse Nassau County drivers for red light ticket fees collected over the past decade. The fees were determined to be illegal by the New York State appellate division last week.
In Nassau County, red light camera tickets are $50. But, with the $100 “driver responsibility” and “public safety” fees attached, the total ticket amount is currently $150.
“Excessive fees attached to red light camera tickets have burdened countless drivers for far too long,” DeRiggi-Whitton said at a Dec. 9 news conference “It’s time for action.”
Plans for the proposed bill, the Fair Fees Accountability Act, included three sections -- repealing illegal fees, refunding drivers and ensuring transparency.
According to the Democratic caucus, these fees would be eliminated permanently, a fund would be established to repay overcharged drivers and an oversight committee would be created to prevent future abuses.
“The whole point of the red light camera system was for safety,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “This was not supposed to be a revenue generating option.”
Koslow said the county has not come to a conclusion as to whether or not they will eliminate the program entirely, but they are prioritizing the finances of it.
“It’s about highway robbery,” he said. “Our main concern at the outset was the fiscal irresponsibility of charging families more than double what a ticket cost.”
According to DeRiggi-Whitton, the Democratic caucus voted against the fees a few months ago, and they voted to stop the program instead of asking for an extension from the state.
The minority leader then called on Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to do right by their constituents and refund the money.
“It’s now our duty as legislators to ensure that the county takes immediate steps to repeal these fees and refund the money unlawfully taken from our residents,” DeRiggi-Whitton said.
Blakeman fired back at the minority leader and said in a statement, “It is incredibly dishonest that Democratic Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, who led the fight to increase red light camera fees, now wants to punish the taxpayers for her mistakes.”
DeRiggi-Whitton responded to Blakeman’s comments and said, “Not only do we not need to fight, but he really began extending the red light camera program, and he knows that.”
According to county voting records provided by the minority leader’s office, DeRiggi-Whitton voted once in 2015 to increase fees in a unanimous vote. Her office said she initially opposed the increase, but then voted in favor with the majority to stop drastic budget cuts as mandated by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
“These are just blank statements that he throws out, or whoever writes them for him throws out, and he doesn’t ever read the facts,” she said of Blakeman.
According to DeRiggi-Whitton, money was transferred from the American Rescue Plan fund to a general fund to financially support the Fair Fees Accountability Act. She also said money would eventually need to be transferred to the litigation fund.
The oversight committee to ensure drivers are properly refunded will include law enforcement, DeRiggi-Whitton said. And, Koslow added, legislators would be necessary to provide a layer of oversight, as well.
“This is one of those situations that’s calling for our attention, our oversight.” Koslow said. “This is to make sure a wrong has be righted, and that we take care of it in a proper, fiscally proven way.”
“It has to be a priority,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “Whatever the administration deems a priority is what they usually follow through with, and this has to be a priority. This really impacts every family you know.”
