Ending Third-Party Control of Parking Tickets and Speed Cameras in Schenectady

The Problem

Third-party vendors profit when more tickets are issued—not when streets are safer or parking is managed fairly. These contracts often include:

• Per-ticket or per-violation fees that incentivize over-enforcement

• Aggressive collections that harm low-income residents

• Limited local oversight and opaque revenue flows

• Dollars extracted from Schenectady and sent out of state

This approach undermines public trust and turns traffic policy into a punitive system instead of a safety-focused one.

Our Policy Commitments

1. End Revenue-Sharing Enforcement Contracts
Terminate or allow expiration of contracts where private vendors profit directly from ticket volume, late fees, or collections.

2. Bring Parking Enforcement Back Under City Control
Parking ticketing, adjudication, and collections will be administered by the City of Schenectady or a fully accountable public entity.

3. Prohibit Private Speed Camera Profit Models
No speed or traffic camera program will operate under per-ticket, per-image, or revenue-share incentives.

4. Safety First, Not Profit First
Any traffic safety tools must be justified by demonstrated safety outcomes—not revenue projections.

5. Transparent Revenue Accounting
All parking and traffic enforcement revenue will be publicly reported, including costs, appeals, and net proceeds.

6. Cap and Reduce Excessive Fees
End compounding penalties, predatory late fees, and collection add-ons that turn minor violations into major debts.

7. Local Adjudication & Due Process
Ensure clear, accessible, and fair appeal processes with local oversight and resident representation.

8. Income-Sensitive Enforcement Options
Introduce warnings, payment plans, and alternatives for low-income residents to prevent cascading debt.

9. Reinvest Revenue Locally
Any remaining parking or traffic revenue will be reinvested into:

• Road safety improvements

• Sidewalks and crosswalks

• Public transit and street lighting

• Neighborhood infrastructure

10. Performance Audits & Public Review
Regular audits and public hearings will evaluate whether enforcement policies are improving safety and fairness.

Why This Lowers Costs and Builds Trust

Ending third-party control stops millions of dollars from leaking out of Schenectady each year. It reduces administrative waste, eliminates perverse incentives, and restores public confidence that enforcement exists to protect people—not pad corporate profits.

The Goal

A fair, transparent, locally controlled system that prioritizes safety over punishment, people over profit, and community wealth over corporate extraction.

This is how Schenectady takes back control of its streets—and its dollars.