From: To: Subject: Photo Red companies top anti-985 donors, they deny profit motive Date: Friday, October 24, 2008 10:48 AM PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE TO DONATE BY PAYPAL, VISA, OR MASTERCARD - WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND ENTHUSIASM -- WE SIMPLY CAN'T CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR TAXPAYERS WITHOUT YOUR HELP: http://www.VotersWantMoreChoices.com -- WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE SO WE CAN KEEP PROVIDING THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER AN EQUAL VOICE IN THE PROCESS. October 24, 2008 To: Our thousands of supporters throughout the state (cc'd to all media outlets -- reporters, columnists, editorial writers, and others in newspapers, radio, and TV) From: Tim Eyman, Jack Fagan, and Mike Fagan, Fighting for Taxpayers for Ten Years, co-sponsors of the Reduce Traffic Congestion Initiative of 2008, ph: 425-493-9127, email: tim_eyman@comcast.net, http://www.VotersWantMoreChoices.com (go to our website to do a secure donation by VISA/Mastercard/PayPal or print out the form below, fill it out, and return it with a check or money order or credit card information) RE: Photo Red companies top anti-985 donors, they deny profit motive "Photo Red companies top anti-985 donors" reads the jump on today's homepage of the Spokesman Review. Over 1/4 of the total money raised from I-985's opponents ($160,000) has come from a red light camera company: Signal Electric $40,000 so far. "Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions" has donated $10,000 so far. But their political contributions to the No campaign weren't business-related; they contributed for altruistic reasons. As the story notes: "Jerry Vosberg, vice president of Signal Electric, said the company's $40,000 contribution was not motivated by the potential of lost profit." The same selfless reason explains the other contribution: "Josh Weiss, spokesman for American Traffic Solutions, said the company contributed money in solidarity with communities it serves." How admirable. Note the rhetoric from these companies matches what we hear from politicians: it's not about the money, it's all for the "greater good." Just because these companies profit millions of dollars every year from these cameras, that's not why they're in business. Just because cities profit millions of dollars every year from these cameras, that's not why they're putting them up. Just because EVERY camera contract has a provision that allows the company to move the cameras to a different intersection if revenue isn't being maximized, no, no, you've got it all wrong, it's not about the money. I-985 removes the profit motive for photo red light cameras and photo speeding cameras. As a result, we read comments like this from Wenatchee's mayor: "(Mayor Dennis) Johnson said the city's incentive to install cameras is gone if I-985 passes." Oops, looks like the 'no' campaign hadn't distributed its talking points in time for that Wenatchee World story. As today's Spokesman Review story notes: Money from red light cameras would be a small portion - likely less than 10 percent - of the money raised for the traffic decongestion fund under Eyman's proposal. He (Eyman) argues that Spokane's warning that the camera might have to be unplugged is another sign that red light programs have been created to generate revenue. "Under our initiative, they have no profit motive for red light cameras," Eyman said. "Now they will truly analyze which intersections truly does it help and which ones does it maybe hurt, and only put up the cameras at those intersections where it will actually make things better." Well said. As reported by the Washington Post: The District's red-light cameras have generated more than 500,000 violations and $32 million in fines over the past six years. City officials credit them with making busy roads safer. But a Washington Post analysis of crash statistics shows that the number of accidents has gone up at intersections with the cameras. The increase is the same or worse than at traffic signals without the devices. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/03/AR2005100301844.html Politicians will never let facts get in the way of maintaining such a lucrative cash cow profit center. As a citizen wrote at the Kitsap Sun blog: "If the red light cameras worked as designed people would stop running them and there would be NO revenue anyway. (Mayor) Bozeman, if you are planning your budget by counting on people breaking the law you have failed miserably. I for one have a strong issue with government spying on citizens with cameras and this initiative takes away the incentive for greedy cities to install them in the first place. That alone deseves a YES vote on I 985. There is a reason this initiative has very little opposition and no big money campaigns fighting it. Because it has many benefits and no drawbacks (unless you are a failed mayor). There is a reason our capitol newspaper The Olympian endorses this initiative. Vote YES!" I-985 is a well-thought-out, professional, comprehensive transportation reform proposal; it offers immediate, cost-effective solutions with built-in accountability and oversight by Washington's most trusted elected official. And rather than raising taxes, I-985 instead funds its common sense policies with transportation-related taxes and charges that we, the citizens, are already paying. Jack, Mike, and I are extremely grateful for the folks who have contributed to our compensation fund. We ask that you continue that support. If you like and appreciate our past, current, and future efforts on behalf of taxpayers, please send us a donation for $10, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or more (there are no limits on how much can be given). Please consider a monthly pledge from now through December for our fund. We ask you to please help us help taxpayers. You can go to our website -- http://www.VotersWantMoreChoices.com -- and make a secure PayPal or VISA or MasterCard contribution -- OR, you can print out the form below, fill it out, and return it with a check or credit card information. Your voluntary contribution to our compensation fund will be divided between the three of us and compensate us for our political work. Congratulations again on getting I-985 on the ballot - we look forward to working with all of you to get it approved by voters. As for our compensation fund, we would be extremely grateful for any financial assistance you can offer. Thanks. Best Regards, Tim Eyman, Jack Fagan, & Mike Fagan, Fighting for Taxpayers for Ten Years, co-sponsors of the Reduce Traffic Congestion Initiative of 2008, ph: 425-493-9127, email: tim_eyman@comcast.net, http://www.VotersWantMoreChoices.com (go to our website to do a secure donation by VISA/Mastercard/PayPal or print out the form below, fill it out, and return it with a check or money order or credit card information) P.S. There are thousands of politicians, bureaucrats, lobbyists, and special interest groups working each and every day to raise your taxes. Shouldn't there be at least one person, one team, one organization that fights to lower your taxes? Please help us so we can continue our successful efforts on behalf of taxpayers. EACH YEAR, FROM JANUARY THROUGH JUNE, WE ASK THAT YOU FOCUS YOUR DONATIONS TOWARD THE SIGNATURE GATHERING CAMPAIGN - THIS YEAR, THANKS TO YOUR HELP, WE SUCCEEDED AT QUALIFYING I-985 FOR THE BALLOT EACH YEAR, FROM JULY THROUGH DECEMBER, WE ASK THAT YOU FOCUS YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD HELP US HELP TAXPAYERS, THE COMPENSATION FUND FOR JACK, MIKE, AND TIM NOW THAT I-985 HAS QUALIFIED, WE ASK THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU SEND IN YOUR MOST GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION SO WE CAN CONTINUE OUR FIGHT ON BEHALF OF TAXPAYERS WE'RE REALLY COUNTING ON YOU HELP US HELP TAXPAYERS . "Compensation fund for Tim, Jack & Mike" . PO Box 18250 . Spokane . WA . 99228 . PH: 425-493-8707 . FAX: 425-493-1027 . http://www.VotersWantMoreChoices.com . jakatak@comcast.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guys, I really appreciate what you're doing - keep fighting for us. Please accept my contribution for $ ___________ Please supply the information below so we can send you a thank you letter (it's really important to fill this out). 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