Monroerising.com

Just in case you need to be reminded about how bad the D&C is, our old friend Assemblyman David Gantt is up to his non-sense again.  According to the Buffalo News (the paper of record for the 26th CD — and now Rochester State Legislative delegation members):

Assemblyman David Gantt, a Rochester Democrat who is chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, has used his influence to block red-light cameras from being installed in Buffalo, Long Island and other communities looking to improve road safety and bring in additional revenues from traffic fines.

Suddenly, though, Gantt has quietly reversed himself in the past couple of weeks and has actually introduced a bill authorizing the technology. But there’s a hitch: Only a certain kind of system can be used.

And, it turns out, a company that uses that kind of system, according to industry executives, is a small Albany-area firm whose lobbyist is a Gantt friend and former staff member.

Industry officials say they have never encountered anything like what they are seeing in Albany.

“It does appear the language was crafted to favor one vendor. It’s fairly unconscionable that a public safety program at the legislative level would be crafted to support only one vendor,” said Cristina Weekes, vice president of marketing at Redflex Traffic Systems, an Arizona company that operates camera systems in 20 states.

(snip)

Enter Gantt. A year ago, he told The Buffalo News he questioned red-light camera safety claims and said the revenues amount to a hidden tax. “If you do this, what’s next? Then people will want cameras to do other things . . . It’s the old Big Brother watching,” he said.

But a few weeks ago, Gantt introduced a bill permitting a sweeping expansion of the state’s camera program. Currently, only New York City is permitted to use cameras to catch red-light runners. The Gantt bill would allow them anywhere approved by counties.

In a memo accompanying his bill, Gantt notes that there are 100,000 crashes and nearly 1,000 fatalities at intersections nationwide each year. He said his bill is “aimed at helping reduce a major safety problem at urban and rural intersections.”

Gantt declined to comment.

(snip)

Weekes, the Redflex executive, said the bill appears crafted to benefit CMA Consulting Services, an Albany County firm that distributes for Sensys Traffic, a Swedish firm. She called it “pernicious language” that excludes “all the industry norms” for the camera systems.

Lobbying, with an $80,000 contract, on the issue for CMA is Robert Scott Gaddy, a former counsel of Gantt’s Transportation Committee.

Oh, yes, now it all makes sense.  Oppose legislation then have your favorite lobbyist get credit when you change your mind.  Take a look at Gaddy’s relationship with Gantt.  Gantt’s campaign committee actually reimbursed Gaddy for over $250 in campaign expenses and then Lovely Warren reimbursed him $400 for expenses. When was the last time you’ve heard of a lobbyist receiving money from a political committee?

Take a look at Robert Gaddy’s personal contributions (I can only imagine what his clients gave).  Concerned Citizens has a PO Box in Gantt’s District. 

Take a look at what CMA Consultants has given in political donations. All of their donations have been to Republicans — so why would they hire a Democratic Lobbyist? 

Wait, I have a guess.  Because they know the only way to get David Gantt to pass their bill is to hire his friend.

I hope the D&C looks into this and does a front page story this.

Tags: Cincinnatus, David Gantt, Democrat and Chronicle //