Plan to Use Cameras to Catch Uninsured Drivers Raises Privacy Concerns

Mike McCarville @ http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/ has done a GREAT job putting some light on this...

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.

Spy Cameras: Is it about Money? Is It Public Safety? Or is it just Political Payback?

Mike McCarville @ http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/ has done a GREAT job putting some light on this...

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.