One person is not going to change anything. The mayor has said that the city isn't going to do anything if only one person complains about the program. I have to agree.
We now have 533 signers on the petition. It is time for you to get the council's attention.
I've made it as simple as a copy and a click. Please don't wait for someone else to respond.
I've provided you with a potential email you can use and modify or you can obviously write your own. I have included the email addresses of the council and mayor. One email to the mayor would be adequate, one to each council member would be amazing.
If you choose to compose your own please be respectful.
(copy and paste the following, feel free to modify)
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Mayor Olson,
I am writing to you today regarding the school zone photo enforcement program in Edgewood.
It has come to my attention that many of the claims being made on the City of Edgewood website seem disingenuous at best.
The city claims, for instance, that funds will only be used for safety programs but has not even kept a separate accounting of the funds collected. The city has been unable to provide any information on how it has spent any funds it has collected on any safety program.
The city claims the safety of children is the purpose of the program but has never performed a safety study, or even consulted with a professional traffic engineer. Washington State Patrol statistics show there has never been an incident in a school zone in Edgewood since 2014 which is as far back as the online data goes. Despite that, Edgewood is the only city in the Puyallup School District which enforces school zones with photo cameras.
THE CITY HAS BEEN UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY DATA TO SHOW THERE WAS EVER A PROBLEM AND THEREFORE CAN NOT SHOW THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING OTHER THAN COLLECT REVENUE.
At $399,000 per year, it appears the camera company has benefited the most from the program.
I also have serious concerns that photo enforcement cameras violate due process protections (innocent until proven guilty) by accusing and fining the owner of a vehicle without having any knowledge of who was actually driving. Several State Supreme Courts around the country have ruled against photo enforcement because of due process violations.
I'm certain the council wants to act lawfully and not subject the citizens to unneeded and unfair laws.
Respectfully,
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Email Dave Olson dave.olson@cityofedgewood.org Term Expires: December 31, 2027
Email Jennifer Pazaruski Jennifer.pazaruski@cityofedgewood.org Term Expires: December 31, 2027
Email Jason Ramirez jason.ramirez@cityofedgewood.org Term Expires: December 31, 2027
Email Christi Keith christi.keith@cityofedgewood.org Term Expires: December 31, 2025
Email Rosanne Tomyn rosanne.tomyn@cityofedgewood.org Term Expires: December 31, 2025
Email John C. West jwest@cityofedgewood.org Term Expires: December 31, 2025
Email Erica Buckley erica.buckley@cityofedgewood.org Term Expires: December 31, 2025
Email Jeff Southard jeff.southard@cityofedgewood.org Term Expires: December 31, 2027