Committee approves $835,000 for automated traffic enforcement RFP; members press for privacy and sustainability details

The Santa Fe Finance Committee voted Feb. 24 to approve a budget amendment of about $835,000 from unanticipated gross receipts tax revenue to purchase evidence equipment and to begin a program for automated traffic enforcement, including speed and noise enforcement and related subscriptions.

Deputy Chief of Police Ben Valdez told the committee the bulk of the appropriation would fund automated enforcement equipment and subscription services, with roughly $100,000 allocated for other evidence items such as evidence dryers, mobile fingerprint scanners and narcotics testing equipment. "It's going to be the majority of that amount," Valdez said when asked how the funds would be distributed.

City staff said the one-time money comes from gross receipts tax collections that exceeded projections during the prior fiscal year. "That unanticipated gross receipts tax revenue ... is a one-time funding source," the city budget director said, explaining that revenue projections for the next fiscal year will account for the higher actuals.

Committee members focused on three main issues: whether the city is buying equipment or a subscription service, whether subscription costs can be sustained after the one-time funding ends, and privacy/data-sale safeguards. Valdez said the appropriation would allow the city to issue an RFP and begin a pilot; the city would validate violations before issuing civil-penalty notices and is considering housing the program in code enforcement rather than the police department. "Our hopes is with this program, it'll be able to be self sustaining," Valdez said; he added that if it does not sustain itself, staff would return to the budget process to seek ongoing funding or discontinue the program.

Councilor Lindell repeatedly asked about where previous funds for this program stood and whether red-light cameras remain in use elsewhere; during discussion she noted, "red light cameras are illegal in this state now," a claim other members treated as a matter of fact in the meeting but which was stated as a councilor's understanding rather than a staff legal finding. Lindell also asked for a detailed breakdown of the $737,000–$750,000 figure the packet listed for automated enforcement and requested the justification behind the requested amount.

Deputy Chief Thomas Grenler, who previously worked with red-light/speed-camera programs elsewhere, was presented as having institutional knowledge; the city manager described comparable programs in other jurisdictions and said program design choices (hours of operation, fine levels, yellow-light timing and system triggers) affect safety outcomes and revenue. Staff emphasized an intent not to sell collected data to third parties and said the city would require that restriction in contracts; Nelson also noted that some technologies—particularly sound/noise enforcement—are still emerging and would require careful validation before issuing citations.

After discussion and requests for more detailed cost breakdowns, the committee approved the amendment. A roll call recorded yes votes from Councilor Cassett, Councilor Lindell, Councilor Lee Garcia and Chair Romero Worth; Councilor Faulkner was listed as excused. The committee approved moving forward with an RFP and pilot and asked staff to return with program design and cost detail for council review.

The approval starts the process of issuing an RFP for a vendor that can provide automated enforcement hardware and subscription services; staff said subsequent decisions will determine whether the subscription is hosted by a vendor or staffed in-house, and whether the program will be housed in code enforcement or another department.