Mayor Rahm Emanuel turned the page from a $2 million bribery scandal plaguing Chicago’s decade-old red-light camera program in a way, he claims, will save taxpayers $10 million a year.

The city signed a five-year contract — with three, two-year extensions — that calls for Xerox State & Local Solutions, Inc. to be paid $1,819 per month to manage and maintain each of the city’s 384 red-light cameras.

That’s just 42 percent of the $4,300 monthly fee that Chicago was paying Arizona-based Redflex Traffic Solutions, the company forced out by the bribery scandal. The more favorable terms are expected to save taxpayers $10 million a year over the life of the contract, City Hall said.

Mayoral spokesman Bill McCaffrey said the dramatic drop in prices stems from the “different technology” used by the two companies. Redflex had “loop detectors mounted in the street.” Xerox is using less costly radar technology, McCaffrey said.

Xerox spokesman Carl Langsenkamp had no immediate comment on the contract finalized Friday. A press release issued by City Hall said the “transition to the new management team” would begin immediately.

“Automated red-light enforcement changes drivers’ behavior to reduce the number of crashes and increase the level of safety for everyone,” Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein was quoted as saying in a statement.

“We plan to continue this important program with a new management team that will both improve the technology and efficiency of the program while saving operating expenses.”[…]

Source www.suntimes.com