After reading the article in the May 31 edition of the Kent Reporter, I’d like some answers to a few things:
1. Why are Sunrise Elementary on the East Hill and Neely-O’Brien Elementary in the valley the only schools getting these traffic cameras installed? Aren’t the lives of kids at all the other schools just as important to protect? These two schools shouldn’t get special treatment if all the other schools aren’t getting the same protection.
All school zones should have traffic cameras. If only these two schools have traffic cameras, then drivers will not obey the speed limits in other school zones because they know they can get away with speeding and not be caught. Does this mean someone must get killed or injured in the other school zones before traffic cameras are installed there?
2. Why aren’t we allowed to vote on this? It’s our tax dollars funding it. We should be able to decide what our money is spent on. If traffic cameras aren’t going to be installed in all school zones, then we voters should at least be able to decide what school zones should get them and what type of system should be installed.
3. Is this going to be a prelude to what is going on in Auburn? It has a traffic camera at almost every stoplight and in every school zone in the city limits. The school zones are understandable but when there’s traffic cameras everywhere, then, in some cases, it causes more harm than good and in more ways than one.
4. Regardless of how many traffic cameras get installed, whether it’s school zones or elsewhere, then the vehicle owners should be informed on what to do if someone else is driving their vehicle so the vehicle owners don’t get wrongfully accused.
5. If only the two school zones mentioned in the article get traffic cameras and there’s no plans to put them in all school zones, then I’m going to be very selective on who I vote for in the next election. Maybe I will just use the write-in option. Just because the people listed on the voter’s ballot are the only ones running in the election doesn’t mean they’re the best choice.
– Eric Thornton
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
