BUFFALO, NY — Children's safety is at everyone's front of mind this back-to-school time, but a City of Buffalo proposal has some community leaders concerned.
The Mayor of Buffalo is now asking the Common Council to pass a contract to put cameras on 634 school buses' stop arms.
The City of Buffalo would partner with Bus Patrol to manage the cameras and software.
However, this proposal resembles its contract to put traffic cameras in school zones.
The City of Buffalo made 2 million dollars from fines in just seven days from that deal before the controversial program was shut down.
This new proposal would make the City 2.5 million dollars a year from the cut of expected fines.
Buffalo Common Council member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt told 7 News Reporter Jaurdyn Johnson that the proposal gives him flashbacks to the same contract.
“I don't want people calling me and they're concerned about being able to pay a ticket over getting medicine or getting food, the way that we thrown out the school's own cameras,”
“I'm very hesitant. I'm definitely for the safety of our children, but how that played out. I think many of us would be hesitant to say that the city is going to do another campaign to address safety.” said Wyatt.
But, the Niagara Falls City School District has been using a similar contract for stop arm cameras for four years.
Superintendent Mark Laurrie told 7 News, Niagara Falls City Schools were among the first in the region to get the cameras and since their installation the Niagara Falls Mayor says they have done the job city leaders hoped they would do.
"Over time, we have seen fines reduce, which indicates that it is changing people's behavior."
As for the plans in Buffalo, the Buffalo Public Schools sent 7 News this statement:
"The Buffalo Public Schools is open to the best way to keep students safe. As the Buffalo Common Council moved Mayor Brown's proposed contract pertaining to stop arm cameras to the Legislation Committee, the District is monitoring the Council's next steps on this proposed contract."
The Buffalo Common Council Legislation Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday.
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