First of two parts
Re “Today It Is CFO Muir’s Turn to be Contradicted”
As the troubled red light camera vendor Redflex Traffic Systems continues to brew a steaming pot of coffee grounds and controversy, the latest unfunny brew-ha-ha centers on how much revenue City Hall banks from the unpopular concept.
City Council members have lined up and said, “Feh!” the income is virtually meaningless, that reducing red light-style accidents is their motivation.
Chief Financial Officer Jeff Muir said last week that, truthfully, the city does not know – to the hundreds of thousands of dollars, never mind down to the penny – how much it realizes.
A ranking City Hall official countered yesterday that Mr. Muir’s claim merely is a cloud that seeks to mask the truth, what Jews call a bubbah-meisa, a non-sexist old wives’ tale.
“Of course the city knows,” the woman said exasperatedly.
To that charge, Mr. Muir said this morning “the Police Dept. gets some information. They have better information (than my office does).
“They get some kind of report that provides – while not perfect – some detail. I don’t get it.”
Question: The Police Dept. is given reasonably exact numbers?
“Some numbers, yes,” said Mr. Muir. “It comes on a roundabout route.”
The CFO suggested key personnel in the Police Dept. One is out until next week, and the other was not at his desk, though a message was left.
The gathering mystery of Redflex and vague revenue data are spraying, curious political and financial weather over Culver City this afternoon.
(To be continued)
