Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati

December 31, 2007

J. Rita McNeil
Room 214, City Hall
801 Plum Street
Cincinnati,OH 45202
(513)-352-1515

Dear City Solicitor,

I am writing to formally notify you, the City Manager, the Mayor, and City Council that the local Branch of the NAACP has voted to oppose the red light traffic camera initiative. Subsequently, the organization has retained an attorney, Chris Finney, to create a charter amendment for the November 2008 election.

The NAACP needs to collect approximately 9,000 valid signatures in order to place the Charter Amendment on the ballot. Given this course of action, it would be financially unwise to spend tax dollars to erect cameras prior to receiving notification that the necessary signatures have or have not been obtained. Should the traffic cameras be installed and all the signatures are collected, the Cincinnati NAACP will file a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to cease the dissemination of traffic tickets during the time period between the completed signatures process and the November 2008 election. The TRO will also include a waiver of payment for persons receiving tickets from traffic cameras prior to the verification of signatures by the Board of Election.

As President of the local NAACP Branch, it is my sincere hope that our city government closely evaluate any decision(s) to install and operate traffic cameras in the near future in Cincinnati.

Sincerely,

Christopher Smitherman
President of the Cincinnati NAACP

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