Let me be honest — I do not like red-light cameras, anywhere. Primarily, it’s because they are speed cameras located at red lights. I don’t like the cameras in Bluff City either, but they don’t lie about the issue. Johnson City and Jonesborough, not so much.I did not like differential equations or imaginary numbers in school, but I understood them. The math associated with the cameras in Jonesborough leaves me speechless. Data submitted by police show three cameras in Jonesborough. In 2013, one location had as many crashes as the others combined, yet the numbers are down?Looking at revenue, court fees and litigation income is equal to net revenue for the town. But Redflex fees typically are almost equal or exceeds total revenue. That’s a sweet deal for someone. Since their installation, police data shows revenue from three cameras at $759,385. Redflex got $664,263. The net to Jonesborough was $635,664. Also sweet. The total for the two was $1,299,927.And there, my friend, is the problem with the old two plus two. Where did the $540,542 come from or go to? Maybe it is an imaginary number also? No sir. I’m quoting the Feb. 2 article in the Press.Oh, wait. According to Jonesborough Police Major Natalie Hilton: “You can’t argue with the numbers.”Well, I guess that settles that.But I am still curious. Who got or lost the half million dollars?LEE JONES Jonesborough
↧