Balcones Heights -- If you run a red light in Balcones Heights – Expect to be busted by big brother. The small city, found in the heart of San Antonio, currently has ten red-light and now they want to add two more.
News 4 WOAI Trouble Shooter Mireya Villarreal took a closer look at the city's red-light camera program and where your citation money goes.
"I think it's just giving Balcones Heights Police Department more money,” local driver, Shane De La Garza, told us.
Running a red light in Balcones Heights could cost you at least $75.
"Sometimes I think it's unfair,” Letty Rios, another driver, said. “It's just their way of making more money. They don't want to work to stop people that actually do pass the red light or don’t make a complete stop."
Turns out, the city does make a lot of money off these cameras. Since 2007, Balcones Heights has sent out 68,832 citations; 43,572 have been paid. Part of that citation money goes to the state; but $918,201.17 has stayed with the city.
"That's a major misconception; that red-light camera revenue beefs up the city's general revenue fund. Not true,” Lorenzo Nastasi, Balcones Heights spokesperson, explained.
By law, the money that's made off these cameras can only be used for traffic-related projects like installing dash-cam in police cars or repainting traffic lanes.
Nastasi tells us traffic accidents have decreased by 74% since installing the cameras. And they even helped catch a murder suspect accused of shooting a couple back in 2008.
"It's a better, more effective mechanism for public safety than an officer on an overpass with a radar gun or behind bushes, trying to catch speeders,” Nastasi noted.
News 4 WOAI Trouble Shooter Mireya Villarreal asked how much it costs to run the red-light program yearly. But Balcones Heights didn't have that information readily available.
We’ll continue to follow up with them and keep you posted on when the new cameras are installed.
