Welcome to Parma, you just got a speeding ticket.

  • Welcome to Parma, you just got a speeding ticket.

As much as drivers care to bitch about traffic camera tickets, cities have a hard time caving to the concerns of citizens when they watch their coffers fill up with dough thanks to hefty fines levied for speeders caught on traffic cameras.

Case in point: Parma, OH.

Pierogi capital of Northeast Ohio, Parma partnered with Redflex Traffic Systems to deploy a van mounted with a speed camera through various school zones in the city. It has been a lucrative move.

According to a memo from Mayor Dean DePiero’s office, Parma collected $571,762 from 5,597 tickets during the 2009-2010 school year. 5,597 is a lot of tickets. $571,762 is a lot of money. You can just imagine DePiero swimming in it in his office, Scrooge McDuck-style.

The Parma Sun Post has the details:

In the school-zone camera program, a van equipped with a speed monitor and camera is parked randomly in various school zones throughout town.

Redflex Traffic Systems, which runs the program for the city, then mails tickets to speeders captured by the camera.

Redflex issued $100 tickets for those driving 30 mph and less in school zones and $200 for those driving over 30 mph.

According to Gerrick’s memo, the school-zone camera program generated a total gross amount of $730,536 during the 2009-2010 school year.

However, some of those dollars went to Redflex for its services.

According to figures provided by Gerrick, Redflex fees totaled $168,270, or 23 percent of the gross revenues.

As if you really needed another reason to avoid Parma.

This article appears in Aug 18-24, 2010.

Vince Grzegorek has been with Scene since 2007 and editor-in-chief since 2012. He previously worked at Discount Drug Mart and Texas Roadhouse.

32 replies on “Parma is Making Serious Bank off Traffic Camera Tickets”

  1. it is against the law for red flex to issue citations through the mail citation must be issued at time of offense by a real cop meaning you must be pulled over at time of offense

  2. it is against the law for red flex to issue citations through the mail a real cop must pull you over and issue a citation at time of offense

  4. LG your statement is not correct. RedFlex can issue citations becuase they are not reporting these to your insurance company and/or having points added to your license. They ticket the vehicle not the driver.

    For a citation to count against your insurance and points on your license an officer needs to be the one issuing the citation.

  6. A speeding ticket from the unmarked vehicle is a civil case not a criminal case and they cannot put points on your license. So you can get 100 tickets from this non moral way to raise tax money and you will still not lose your license. Why not just send the mayor money directly. Parma has found a way around the law and are useing to to tax the driving public. Put it to a vote and see what happens

  8. Parma’s raping people with this nonsense and scamming road repair money, and they can’t afford fireworks on the Fourth of July because? Fuck Parma!

  9. the law plainly states an officer must issue a citation at the time of infraction which red flux is clearly not

  10. the law plainly states that an officer must issue citation at time of infraction which red flux is not also this has nothing to do with insurance duh

  11. What exactly is the problem with enforcing our traffic laws? If you don’t speed, run red lights or generally act like a reckless jerk on our streets what should you care what mechanism is used to enforce our traffic laws? You don’t hear non-smokers complain about cigarette taxes so why should we believe these whiners are anything but reckless drivers who don’t want to get caught?

  12. The real bitching should be done by other drivers who have to constantly deal with some jerk tail gating them or blowing through a light. Suck it up and learn how to drive. Until then, enjoy your ticket.

  13. The laws of the road aren’t a mystery, people know to stop on red and not speed. I think it’s important especially to have traffic laws enforced in school zones where children’s lives are at risk. Cameras are a good way to enforce the laws that everyone is already supposed to follow.

  14. Perhaps they have a “hard time caving to the concerns of citizens” because they realize that speeding is a serious problem. When 5600 people are cited by a camera that is clearly seen with plenty of signage, there is a problem with disregard for the law or inattention on the road. Both need to be addressed and cameras are a great means to do so.

  15. Speed cameras are a good idea. Speeding is a crime and if you break the law then you should be prepared to pay the ticket. Very glad to see them in the school zones.

  16. Another positive for the speed cameras, they keep people like Kayla Mae out of Parma. Thank you Redflex.Glad to hear your making money off the morons that can’t figure out how to make their cars do the speed limit,stop at red lights, and generally don’t give a crap about anybody but themselves. You crybabies want the cameras to go away, then get some driving skills and pu them into practice and there won’t be any need for the cameras. Duhh!

  17. these are not speeding tickets, and do not have to be paid. However, the way they get around this is they issue a “bill” if you do not pay the “bill” they ATTACK YOUR CREDIT SCORE!

    Now you tell me something. If someone is poor trying to make ends meet, and all of a sudden get these bills in the mail what then?

    do i pay the electric bill and let them attack my credit score?
    do i feed my children and let them attack my credit score?
    etc, etc, etc.

    This is disgusting that our public servants would enter into a contract with these people, and that they have this much content for us. But don’t worry though look over there at the nice new flower beds along the road. How about over there, the nice sign that proudly says “DePiero Mayor of Parma”

    Thanks, for pointing out how proud you are that there is a hunger center in town for people who need it MAYOR! Maybe we wouldn’t need it if you quit entering into a contract with a Private CORPORATION that plunders us, and learned how to balance a budget. Oh, but wait that wouldn’t allow for the illusion that everything is peachy keen, and that you are doing such a great job.

  18. Then you must be a complete asshole to drive over the speed limit and know that there is a school zone…I wish the state would actually take away your drivers license for a year if you INTENTIONALLY speed…anyways, you get what you deserve…pay up!!!
    And another thing…does this mean I can stand near a school zone with a speedgun, a video camera, and then show the violations to the city, and then charge a fee to Parma???

  19. The white SUV is welcome in Parma and for those that speed in school zones deserve the ticket they get. Don’t speed and you will not have any problems.

  20. Anyone know what parameters are used for the citations?

    Do you get hit with a 100 ticket for doing 21MPH in a 20 mile an hour school zone?

    It simply states for speeds under 30 it is $100. There is a huge difference between going 29 MPH in a school zone and going 21.

  21. Well it is also terrific for a sign.. ( a small sign at that) to say about driving during restrited hours: okay .. WHAT ARE THE RESTRICTED HOURS????? You dont post times… their are no lights up in certain school zones.. but everyone is a mind reader and know the score right WRONG: the whole point of the school zones is protection for our children right? well don’t you think then it should even look like that… !!!!!

  22. School zones should be posted with sign you can read that tell you What the resticted hours are: BUT THEY DONT.. some dont have any lights showing which would be a great help…….. then you get machines: not people sitting on the side of the road clocking your speed with two people going thru at the same time which one is it clocking ??????? school zones are for the pertection of the children ,,, they should be displayed that way..

  23. I was issued a photo ticket in Parma for a car I was selling. We were not using the car, the ticket was probably someone who was test driving it. I tried to explain this to the city and was told that I must pay the $100 first and the go to the hearing ( innocent until proven guilty?). I payed the fine because it was cheaper than missing work. In the past I would stop on my way home to buy gas and grocery’s in Parma, I now head south to Middleburg, and shop there. It’s only about 1 mile farther. I did tell the merchants in Parma why I no longer shop there. It’s all about money, if it becomes painful enough for the locals maybe things will change.

  24. Fck Parma…Some attorney The Mayor needs to read the constitution. I have the right to confront my accuser not a photo. This is just plain unconstitutional crap. as for all the flouride heads that like the cameras, 1984 baby love your slavery and worship it dumb ass. Don’t cry to us when they come for you. Keep Parma no wonder Parmatown mall is doing so well. I agree with the former poster. I vote with my $ and Parma is not going to see any more from me. Good luck in the ghetto.

  25. I just received a $200 speeding ticket for going 31 in a 20 mph school zone on State Road. I am very careful going down State Road which goes from 25 to 35 with school zones all up and down the road. While there were no school zone flashing lights at the time of my ticket, I’m totally certain of that, I still know I tried to slow down, immediately, as soon as I saw the schools, but evidently was not fast enough before the road camera snapped the picture at 11:59 a.m.

    And I’ve never in my life violated a school zone speed limit before I drove down State Road in Parma! In Mentor where I live–school zone speed limits, those restricted hours, are posted with flashing lights activated, which keeps the kids safe!!!! and drivers not financially devastated who are just making ends meet!!!! Installing speed traps, by keeping the flashing lights off with no restricted-hours signs visible, dumps millions of dollars into the city coffers and disregards what the flashing lights and restricted-hours signs are primarily for: keeping school kids in transit safe.

    And they charge a $20 additional fine if you pay the fine 30 days past the mailing date of your notice and $60 if 60 days after the mailing date. Disgusting!!!! I’ll have to ask my daughter for a new route when I go once a week to her home in Parma to babysit my new grandbaby.

  26. Parma blows and they SUCK! The bastards sent me a photo and saying I went 30mph in a school zone. I seen no flashing lights and I always go 20mph when they’re flashing. I hope they choke sending me a $200 fine for nothing and I’m on disability and have to live off of $800.00 a month! I can’t afford this fee I can barely pay my bills all I have to say is they’re full of shit and stink to the highest heaven. SUCKERS!! Go to HELL!!

  27. I feel bad for businesses in Parma, to make matters worse they just changed the speed limit in Parma near shopping centers from 35 to 25. I hear a lot of people say they now avoid that area…seems like the politicians in Parma need to get brains.

  28. Parma is violating everyones constitutuional rights. guys get a lawyer and get yourselves 20 grand 🙂 5th and 14th amendment look it

  29. I live 2 1/2 hours away from Parma, but I was there December 18 2013 to pick up a person coming in from Tuscaloosa, Alabama to have surgery at Cleveland Clinic. A doctor there is the only one in the country who can do her surgery. As we were driving to the doctor’s office, driving slowly since we did not know the area, I saw the School Zone sign and slowed down. We continued on to the doctor’s office. Yesterday (January 9) I received this Traffic Violation in the mail. I’ve made several calls to Parma police and court, but no one can give me answers. I really do not want to have a court date in Parma, take time off work and drive 2 1/2 hours to tell my side of the story, but that may be the only way to settle this. I’m very sad and upset. I am an educator and very contentious of safety rules. This has all been very unsettling to me.

  30. For the Dudley Do-rights waving “Obey the law” signs like hall monitors, please…for the love of God… produce actual statistics that show these cameras reduce accidents. Yes, I know they reduce speed; anyone who knows the cameras exist will slow down to avoid a citation. I’m talking about evidence that traffic cams reduce accidents. Placing them in school zones has a sentimental appeal, as nobody wants to hurt kids…but where’s a proven link between traffic cameras in these zones and reduced harm to school children? That’s right; it doesn’t exist. Kids are at a higher risk of harm- even death- within their own homes at the hands of parents than they are from speeders. I’d respect Parma (& other towns who use them) more if they were honest about the cameras’ money-making purpose. But until leaders fess up, I will show the cameras all the contempt they deserve.

  31. Parma raping people by charging charging 200.00dollars on driving 30 miles p.h on 20 miles oosted zones ,They should be ashame of them self

  32. i literally just got a ticket in the mail for driving 33 in a school zone, the ticket was timed at 12:41pm and i swear the lights were not blinking, but again it was afternoon there is no reason that i would have to go 20, but the ticket was for 200, that’s a lot of money, i do know parma is money grubbing whores but i would have been preferred to have been pulled over by a cop maybe get a chance to explain myself, and just maybe however unlikely he could have let me off with a warning or said something like ill put you down for 29 mph so its the lesser of the two fines. its kind of funny im normally the one saying i approve of the cameras in school zones because it forces people to slow down. if i did this i the morning or afternoon when kids were getting out that’s fine id accept it but im a careful driver when you get this timestamped at 12:41 its more like a big middle finger to the face

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