- The New Iberia City Council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 16.
- After nearly a two-hour discussion, and the second-ever recess taken by the city council in the last seven years, the photo speed enforcement ordinance (No. 2023-36) was amended.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Rep. Deedy Johnson-Reid: “Why are we worrying about the money in their pocket when they’re breaking the law?”
Rep. Dan Doerle: “I am just representing my district; this is what’s happening in my district.”
Rep. Ricky Gonsoulin: “I think the system’s working, and Imma support it, as we discussed.”
Tuesday night, all eight New Iberia City Council members weighed in on two concerns regarding the Parish-wide photo speed enforcement system: The price of the ticket, and how fast equals too fast.
Rep. Marlon Lewis: “I’m against that; telling people that they can go over, telling them that they can go over 20.”
Since last Monday (January 8), photo speed enforcement has been in full swing, in Iberia Parish school zones.
Rep. David Broussard: “It straightened me out, and I think it straightened a lot of people out.”
Council members revisited the topic, bringing the concerns of people from their districts to the table.
Rep. Dan Doerle: “The amount of people that’s talked to me, that’s come into my shop, that is very…disturbed by how much it’s costing.”
Several council members, including Doerle, advocated for a cheaper fines.
(Follow the story: Complaints rise over photo speed enforcement system)
Rep. Marlon Lewis: “The purpose wasn’t ever for a money grab, it was to slow people down.”
Several other council members said they believe the fines are fine at the amounts they’re at now.
Rep. Deedy Johnson-Reid: “If they get enough of those fines, they’re gonna slow down or they’re gonna avoid the school zones.”
The current photo speed enforcement system, guidelines a 1-10 MPH ‘grace period,’ or threshold.
Rep. Deidre Ledbetter: “You’re not making them slow down, you’re just making them go the speed limit they should be doing before they get to the speed zone.”
Despite varying viewpoints, the council was able to come together, amending the rules to allow for ‘police discretion’ to be used when ticketing.
Mayor Freddie DeCourt: “We can agree it’s working, and we can all agree that one would be too many, and you know, that there’s a reason to do this.”
So as of right now, fines will be given to anyone going 11 or over in a school zone, and ticket fees range $50-$130 (depending on how far over the speed limit a driver may be).
