Trotta Calls Out Dems For Extending Contract For Red Light Technology

By Stacey Altherr

The waiver committee of the Suffolk County Legislature extended for one year a contract for the company that provides the red light camera technology.

The waiver allows the county to bypass the Request For Proposal (RFP) process that requires any contract over $25,000 to be put out to bid.  The agenda item originally called for a two- to three-year extension.

The waiver committee, two chosen by the county executive and the other by the presiding officer, decides if the RFP process can be waived in cases of emergency or time constraints.

But Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Smithtown) protested the committee’s decision, saying before the meeting, that the contract with the company Conduent Inc. is not expired until the end of the year, and the county often “makes it an emergency” by waiting too long to ask for bids. All seven Republican legislators, under its Minority Leader Legislator Tom Cilmi, sent a letter saying the red light program should come to an end.

“It’s a shame that Tom Cilmi and the minority caucus are once again playing politics with public safety,” said Jason Elan, spokesperson for Suffolk County.

The red light technology has had its critics since its inception in 2003.  Installed as a way to catch drivers running red lights, or not stopping lawfully while making a “right on red” turn, Trotta contends that the program has increased accidents in many spots where they are located, in some cases more than 700 percent, and is only a way for the county to make money.

Trotta also notes that the contract is currently under a state investigation as to whether a licensed engineer inspected and signed off on all the traffic control devices, as required by law.

In February, a bill passed by the legislature would have added another legislator on the board from the opposing party, and require a super majority vote to override the RFP requirement. The bill was vetoed by County Executive Steve Bellone and failed to get the required two-thirds vote to override the veto.

Stacey Altherr is a former Newsday reporter now living in Sarsasota, Florida. Her beats included Smithtown, where she covered governmental affairs.  She now runs a café in Longboat Key near her home and writes freelance. Altherr has won many awards, including a 2010 Society of Silurian Award for community service journalism for a multi-part series, “Heroin Hits Main Street,” and a third-place National Headliner Award for public service for a multi-part year-long investigation on spending at fire districts on Long Island.