Traffic cameras, despite their notorious reputation among drivers, continue to generate substantial revenue for various Ohio towns. Despite state laws aimed at eliminating profit from automated ticketing, 15 communities still utilize these cameras, as per records filed with the Ohio Tax Department. The state deducts a dollar from Local Government Fund payments for every dollar earned from camera fines, except for school-zone cameras. Communities with active traffic cameras must disclose their camera locations and revenue, focusing on standalone cameras that automatically issue tickets, not handheld devices used by officers.
The revenue from traffic cameras varies significantly across these towns. Newburgh Heights leads the state with $4.3 million in fines, operating just one pair of cameras on Harvard Road. East Cleveland, with cameras at 12 locations, collected $2.9 million. Dayton, with 15 camera sites, earned $2.4 million, with Horace Mann Elementary cameras generating the highest revenue at $380,000. Linndale, despite its small population, collected $2.3 million from its camera on Memphis Road.
Parma's traffic camera program, limited to school zones, still generated over $1.5 million in fines from six cameras. Liberty Township in Trumbull County saw most of its $1.5 million in fines from a single camera on state Route 11 and Anderson Morris Road. Parma Heights, with cameras near Greenbriar Middle School, collected $841,000 in fines. Walton Hills, with cameras at intersections, earned $826,000, while Gates Mills collected $632,000 from cameras on Mayfield Road.
Monroeville, Huron County's cameras, generated $611,000, and Willoughby Hills reported $453,000 from cameras at state Routes 91 and 6. Vienna Township, Trumbull County, collected $348,000 from cameras on state Routes 11, 193, and 82. Weathersfield Township, also in Trumbull County, earned $323,000 from four cameras. Higginsport, a small village, collected $87,000 from cameras near its park. The least lucrative program belongs to Liverpool Township, which reported just $370 in revenue from two citations on state Route 7.
These figures highlight the financial impact of traffic cameras on local governments, sparking discussions on the balance between revenue generation and the controversial nature of automated ticketing.
