Is Windsor Heights addicted to traffic tickets? This study looks at the numbers

Advertisement Is Windsor Heights addicted to traffic tickets? This study looks at the numbers

Windsor Heights’ mayor said officials aren’t relying on the money generated by traffic tickets, but a national study is challenging that.“You’d have to look pretty hard to find someone in the metro that doesn’t know about Windsor Heights being ‘Radar Heights’ or for our speed cameras,” said Louisa Dykstra, board president of the Windsor Heights Chamber of Commerce. Dykstra said that perception has been detrimental to business.“We’ve seen not only businesses revenue being affected but also businesses choose not to locate here,” Dykstra said. A new national study by “Governing” magazine lists 840 municipalities that take in a sizeable chuck of revenue from fines. In the study named “Addicted to Fines,” Windsor Heights is the only Iowa city on the list, and it gets 40% of its revenue from tickets. However, the mayor said the study is flawed for one reason.“We don’t even budget for it,” said Dave Burgess, Windsor Heights mayor.Burgess said because of that, it is not relying on the revenue, and therefore, it isn’t addicted to anything. He said the city would do fine without tickets and claims the cameras aren’t for cash.“The cameras went in because we had a speeding issue,” Burgess aid. “The fact is, if you don’t speed, you’re not going to get a ticket.”The city has raised the speed limit in University Avenue, which will go down to three lanes.Burgess said the cameras might go away after the contact ends in 2020. “But that will be up to another council at another time to make that determination,” Burgess said. Dykstra said she’s optimistic. “I think we’ve got a City Council that understands the issue and we’re taking steps,” Dykstra said.