Ruling on speed cameras due soon

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

A judge’s upcoming ruling in a lawsuit against a Cincinnati-area village’s speed cameras will lead off a pivotal year in the accelerating debate over traffic cameras in Ohio.

Ticketed motorists want Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Robert Ruehlman to order Elmwood Place to refund speeding fines and fees totaling some $1.8 million. The village says there shouldn’t be refunds for speeding violations and has appealed the judge’s earlier rulings against cameras.

Ruehlman last year ordered the village to halt its camera use, comparing the automated system to a rigged card game. He also has approved class-action status for ticketed Elmwood Place drivers.

The judge has said he’ll rule Thursday. Several other lawsuits are pending, including one before the Ohio Supreme Court challenging traffic cameras in Toledo. Meanwhile, state legislators are pushing ahead on measures to either ban or restrict camera enforcement statewide. Supporters say cameras stretch law-enforcement resources and make communities safer, while foes say they are primarily revenue-raisers for local governments that violate drivers’ rights.