COAST's six-year battle against Red Light Cameras ends with State ban

In 2008, COAST continued its historic coalition with the Cincinnati branch of the NAACP and others in the WeDemandAVote.Com alliance by placing before Cincinnati voters a ban on Red Light Cameras in the City of Cincinnati, one of the first such citizen initiatives in the nation against the pernicious devices.  We won that battle and since then we have continued the fight throughout Ohio.


Today, the Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill with only minor changes that already had been approved by the Ohio Senate to outlaw the cameras state-wide.  As the Toledo Blade reports here, the Senate is expected to pass the modified bill and the Governor is expected to sign it.  The original House Bill was sponsored by Representatives Ron Maag (R) and Dale Mallory (D).  The Senate bill was sponsored by Senator Bill Seitz (R).

COASTers have succeeded in fights against Red Light Cameras in Cincinnati, Garfield Heights, Heath, and South Euclid.  This year they achieved ballot access for Charter Amendments banning the cameras in Cleveland and Maple Heights.  The latter two Charter Amendments passed by a stunning 77% of the vote just last month, helping spur the lame duck legislative action by the House and the Senate.

So, by year's end the cameras should be banned once and for all throughout Ohio.  COAST members, take a bow. This was a hard-fought win.  And to our partners in the legislature and Governor Kasich, a rich "Thank You" is given.