5 things to know about Dayton’s red-light camera case

The city of Dayton’s fight to turn back on red-light and traffic cameras was before the Ohio Supreme Court Tuesday.

Here’s a look at 5 things to know about the case and how we got to this point:

1. One lawmaker caught by a red light camera: Cincinnati Republican Bill Seitz, who sponsored the bill that severely limits cities use of traffic cameras, got a ticket in 2010 when a traffic camera in Columbus caught his silver sedan tapping the brakes and then rolling through a right-on-red. Watch video, read story here

2. Two previous rulings on traffic cameras: The Ohio Supreme Court ruled in 2008 and 2014 that cities have authority to enforce traffic laws using cameras as long as it doesn't alter substantial traffic laws.

3. Three main tenets of the state law governing traffic cameras: a full-time police officer must babysit each camera while operating; cities must conduct a three-year traffic study before deploying a camera; cities must give speeders "leeway" — 6 miles per hour over in a school zone and 10 mph over elsewhere — before issuing tickets.

4. Four cities that filed legal challenges: Akron, Dayton, Springfield, Toledo.

Five amicus briefs filed supporting Dayton: Akron, East Cleveland, Springfield, Toledo and the Ohio Municipal League.

5. Millions: Cities in the Miami Valley reported receiving more than $14 million in revenues tied to tickets issued by more than 80 traffic cameras over the years. Even with that money flow, operating the cameras under the new state law would be cost prohibitive, municipalities argue.

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