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DPS Doesn't Have A Clue Where Highway Traffic 'Spy' Camera Revenue Estimate Came From
The Department of Public Safety admits in a solicitation for vendors bidding on Governor Henry's new statewide system of highway traffic "spy" cameras that it doesn't have a clue where an estimate of $50 million in new revenue for the state from the system came from.
That revelation is found in reading questions submitted by bidders, and the DPS response to them (Bid #5850000395). The DPS response to the questions is somewhat surprising given that it is the entity that has been in charge of requesting information from bidders.
Two bidders asked for the source of the revenue estimate; in both cases, DPS replied, "Unknown."
Reading the proposals also reveals that initially, the estimate of new revenue was $95 million. The income would flow from fines assessed against those without vehicle insurance. Even at $50 million, the sum listed in Henry's budget, it is estimated that more than 750 motorists without insurance would have to be fined per day to produce that much money for the state given that the vendor would be paid 25 to 30 percent of the fines collected. DPS reports there are 3.9 million vehicles in the state with 3.5 million of them being properly insured.
A DPS source told The McCarville Report Online he believes the first estimate came during one of the initial discussions about the Oklahoma system. He named the person he believes made the estimate, but TMRO was unable to contact that person during the Memorial Day holiday for confirmation.
The system, which would place 220 cameras across the state to photograph the license plates of passing vehicles, is designed to catch insurance scofflaws, those without the mandatory vehicle insurance.
But privacy advocates and civil libertarians see a much more sinister use of the information that would be gathered by the cameras. They note the apparent ease of tracking the movements of motorists, and the ability of the state to harvest unrelated information about the vehicle owner and place it into a computer database. That fear appears to be reinforced by advocates of the "Automated License Plate Recognition" (ALPR) system.
Governor Henry proposed the system as part of an effort to raise new revenue.
Former OU and Dallas Cowboys football coach Barry Switzer, credited by some as being responsible for Governor Henry's upset victory in the 2002 governor's race, apparently is connected to a company that may benefit from Henry's plan to use highway traffic cameras to identify those without vehicle insurance.
While there's been no announcement that InsureNet will be the company chosen to process information obtained through the highway cameras, it has won contracts in other states as a "sole source provider," meaning it is the only firm able to perform the service.
Former Republican House member Wayne Pettigrew of Edmond is a national officer of the firm.
Switzer was a fundraiser for Henry in 2002 and again in 2006. His endorsement of Henry in the 2002 race, many believe, propelled Henry to victory. Switzer also was responsible for placing a last-minute series of Henry radio commercials with a jingle that became the hallmark of the campaign.
Bulletin ~ The House Transportation Committee heard a presentation last Wednesday on InsureNet, which provides paperless verification of motorists’ insurance status. Former University of Oklahoma football coach Barry Switzer, who implemented the program in Oklahoma, was present at our meeting.
Following the thread of disjointed information about InsureNet's efforts to bring the controversial cameras to Oklahoma highways also shines light on the involvement of others, including Republican Rep. Ken Miller of Edmond, the chairman of the powerful House Appropriations and Budget Committee and a candidate for state treasurer.
Miller authored House Bill 3326 in the 2008 session which authorized creation of the new license plates, which apparently became the first step in instituting the system and was a member of the committee that designed the plates. Miller, however, says the system would have worked with the state's previous license plates. And, as with Henry, there's a political connection between Switzer and Miller.
Oklahoma Ethics Commission reports show Switzer donated $2,500 to Miller's 2010 reelection campaign.
In Henry's reelection campaign in 2006, Switzer repeated his 2002 donation generosity to Henry; he donated the maximum, $5,000.
Last month Governor Brad Henry office announced that revenue for the State of Oklahoma is down almost 20 percent. It is a staggering number; we are more than $1 billion short of balancing the budget.
And that is why this latest case of state-dollar spending is particularly concerning.
But, Governor Brad Henry can uses a State Aircraft for personal vacations; at least once to attend a wedding in Pensacola, Florida.
The governor presided at the wedding. The groom was an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper and the bride was the First Lady's assistant.
The cost to Oklahoma taxpayers totaled about $5,700; not including the salaries of the pilot and co-pilot.
Action Will Save More Than Half-Million Dollars a year!
The Department of Corrections will relocate its correctional officer training from Wilburton to the Highway Patrol Training Center in Oklahoma City, officials announced today.
The agency will also relocate a separate employee training facility from the OU College of Continuing Education in Norman to the Oklahoma City facility.
The move is expected to save the state more than $500,000 without a reduction in services.
“In this time of budget downturn, this is going to save money in one of our most vital public safety areas – corrections,” said state Sen. Anthony Sykes, a Moore Republican who chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary. “This helps both agencies better utilize existing resources in the most cost-effective way possible while maintaining public safety standards.”
Sykes noted the announcement comes a day before Senate Republicans plan to discuss their public safety agenda – on Thursday at an 11 a.m. press conference.
“This move will centralize and consolidate training for correctional officers,” said state Rep. Randy Terrill, a Moore Republican who chairs the House appropriations subcommittee on public safety and judiciary. “We believe this move will produce a nice synergy between the DPS and DOC and save taxpayer money while maintaining training standards.”
Closing the Wilburton facility is expected to save about $250,000 annually and moving the training center at the College of Continuing Education at OU will save another $350,000 – bringing the total annual savings to approximately $600,000.
Staff at the Wilburton and OU facilities will be relocated to fill higher-priority positions currently vacant or understaffed at DOC.
The Department of Corrections just completed the agreement with the Department of Public Safety to use the DPS facility.
As part of the agreement, inmate labor will be used to provide food, janitorial, maintenance and grounds-keeping services at the Oklahoma City facility. As much as 70 percent of food products served at the facility will come from prison farms.
“From a budget standpoint, the Department of Corrections is out of cash,” said Justin Jones, director of the state Department of Corrections. “We have no other option than to look at consolidation of services with other state agencies. This happened to be one option that was very workable and amenable to both state agencies and it provides greater efficiencies without reduction in quality of training or reduction in public safety preparedness.”
“Some agencies have assets that can be used by other agencies in these tough economic times,” said Commissioner of Public Safety Kevin Ward. “It appears the Department of Public Safety’s facility is compatible with DOC’s training needs, so we are glad to share assets and make better use of personnel and infrastructure at both agencies. By combining resources, we believe our two agencies will both save money and put out a great work product.”
The move should also enhance recruitment and retention efforts as well as save some correctional officers the cost of extensive travel to southeast Oklahoma to attend the more-than-month-long training sessions.
