(The Center Square) – The Seattle City Council will soon decide on proposed legislation that would shift some of the revenue from automated traffic cameras into the city’s general fund, rather than keeping it all earmarked for transportation programs.
Council Bill 120971 – sponsored by Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka – would amend the city’s financial policies to allocate 80% of red-light camera revenue toward the general fund. The remaining 20% would go toward a new Automated Traffic Camera Safety Fund. All of the revenue from all other Seattle camera programs would go into the new fund as well.
The bill updates Seattle’s code to reflect statewide changes made in 2024 expanding how cities can use cameras and revenue generated from them.
Seattle first deployed “block the box” cameras, transit lane enforcement cameras, and restricted lane access cameras in 2020 to deter people from reckless driving and improve traffic safety. However, the city was restricted in how revenue could be used and who could review infractions caught by cameras.
Council Bill 120971 expands who can process citations – including civilians and Seattle Department of Transportation employees. This change was legalized by the state Legislature last year, but Seattle has yet to take advantage of that. Hence Council Bill 120971.
Several amendments were added to the bill by the Transportation Committee on Tuesday to tighten how funds can be spent with a focus on traffic safety, rather than general expenses.
Passed amendments include:
Requesting the transportation department to look at where illegal street racing is occurring within the city for efficient deployment of automated traffic safety camerasRestricting the spending of camera fine revenue to activities that support traffic safety workIssuing warnings within the first 30 days of operations for all traffic safety camera programs
Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck said warnings soften the impact and prevent $237 fines from destabilizing lower-income residents. Fellow City Councilmember Dan Strauss agreed and pushed back on concerns the city was chasing more revenue.
“Our goal here is not to collect money from people,” Strauss said during Tuesday’s committee meeting. “We want people to slow down; I’m all for warnings.”
A failed amendment would have established that 15% of all revenue allocation from automated traffic safety cameras would go toward the construction and repair of sidewalks, which Saka argued was a major need.
Saka noted that “20% of the city does not currently have a sidewalk and it is an equity and community issue. This amendment helps address the missing sidewalk and broken sidewalk gap in our city.”
The bill will be sent to the full city council on May 13 for a final vote. If it passes, it will go to Mayor Bruce Harrell for his signature.
