Garfield Heights residents to vote on traffic cameras

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio - George Saridakis was driving along Turney Road in Garfield Heights Tuesday night when he suddenly found himself hitting the brakes and he wasn't alone. 

There wasn't anything in the way or on the road but there was something on the side of the road, a white SUV with Arizona license plates. Inside a mobile lab of cameras, sensors and computers; everything needed to nab passing speeders.

Garfield Heights started using the mobile traffic cameras this year as a way to generate revenue and improve safety. George, for one, wasn't happy.

"They're unfair, they should not be putting them on us," said Saridakis.  "It's trickery!"

Now that he knows what the mobile units look like he's constantly on guard for them and is proud to say he hasn't got caught yet. Has anyone he knows? 

"Everybody I know," he said. "Pretty much everybody, five friends, two relatives."

Seven people (eight including George) who will be happy to hear that Garfield Heights city council voted Tuesday to act on the more than 2,300 signatures opponents say they presented to have the charter change question placed on the ballot.

Karen Gurney says collecting enough was never an issue. 

"I was one of the location places for gathering signatures and the cars were lined both in my front and back doors," she said.

Garfield Heights was placed by the state in fiscal emergency in 2008; the elimination of the revenue generated from the camera would need to be filled from other areas. 

In addition, another hole in the budget could be created if residents vote down the city's $15 garbage collection fee. 

Both issues will be decided when voters go to the polls for the General Election Tuesday, November 3.