ATTENTION St Charles County – Urgent Action Required

Red Light Cameras are an Attack on Your Liberties!

County Councilman Joe Brazil has sponsored an amendment to the St Charles County Charter (the county’s constitution) that would prohibit red light cameras anywhere in the county including any municipality.  As you might suspect, municipalities don’t like the idea. While they claim that red light cameras area about safety, we know that it’s really about increased revenue without a vote of the people! CLICK HERE to take action!

The proposed amendment would change the St Charles County Charter. The Missouri Constitution provides wide powers to charter counties over every political subdivision except schools. This power can be limited by the people in the charter they adopt for their county.  There is nothing in the proposed amendment that violates the Missouri Constitution or the St Charles County Charter.

The Municipal League of St Charles County that represents the cities within the county and not the residents thereof has objected to the proposed amendment. They offer inaccurate assessments of how it violates the Charter which the people have the right to change. The driving force is the City of St Peters who is the only municipality in St Charles County currently using red light cameras.

St Peters is not only attempting to distract Council members from the fact the Council represents the people not the cities, but they and their red light camera vendor are already participating in scare tactics. They have been placing robo-calls to seniors threatening them with the loss of senior transportation services if this measure is approved by the people. It’s a sad attempt to use seniors by providing them false information. CLICK HERE to take action!

There is also an attempt to delay the vote until the November ballot. The reason given for this is because more people come out to vote in November rather than August. This is often true although with an off-election year and no major elected offices on the ballot it is questionable.  We do know that those people who take the time to vote in August primaries are generally more educated on the candidates and issues on the ballot. The Council should place this amendment on the August ballot!

The County Council DOES NOT represent the municipalities.  It represents the people of St Charles County some of which reside within municipal boundaries. The fact that St Peters is threatening not only seniors but threatening legal action shows that this is about money and not safety.  The question before the County Council is whether or not they are going to side with their constituents or side with another governmental entity. There really should be no question as to which side they come down on. CLICK HERE to take action!

You have numerous opportunities to let your voice be heard and we hope you take advantage of as many as possible.  For example, you could attend the Council meeting Monday evening at 7pm, May 12, 2014 at the County Executive building at 100 North Third Street and let your voice and presence be heard and seen.

You can also call the St Charles County Council offices at (636) 949-7530 and simply let them know you support placing Councilman Brazil’s amendment to ban Red Light cameras on the August ballot.

And you can CLICK HERE to send each County Councilman an email letting them know you support Councilman Brazil’s amendment on the August ballot.

If we want to experience government that is responsive to We the People we must be active to ensure that outcome. I hope that you will take as many of the forgoing actions as possible to make sure your voice is heard!

Sincerely,

Carl Bearden

Executive Director

United for Missouri

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#RLC

#redlight