To anyone that read your red-light articles it should be obvious that there is one and only reason for these cameras existence and that is they are money generating devices for the government.

Claiming that these cameras are installed for safety reasons is like saying the proposed carbon tax is going to save the environment.

The real motivation for these is that they are an indirect way to get more tax dollars flowing into the government. If by some off chance there is a slight improvement in safety it is truly unplanned for and a totally relevant side effect.

Another side effect of these cameras is that they promote the idea that it is perfectly normal to have government watching over you at all times.

While I applaud Schaumburg's decision to remove their red-light cameras I suspect that their decision had more to do with money than the concern over an individual's rights or safety.

That $100,000 collected in fines was a potential $100,000 not spent at Woodfield Mall - plus how many people might decide to not visit the mall because of the possibility of getting a $100 ticket?

Richard Gideon

Schaumburg