Resident Says Heath Cameras Hurting Business

The newly installed traffic cameras in Heath are catching a lot of violations- more than 9000 drivers have been flagged for possible citations since the program began July 1st.

The red-light and speed monitoring cameras along State Route 79 are getting a lot of attention now that the first tickets started going out last week. Local business man Duane Goodwin circulated a petition to have voters decide on the November ballot whether to allow the cameras.

“I’m adamantly opposed to them. Our city officials can’t see what it’s doing to our local businesses and how people are avoiding our town and the reputation they’re giving our town as a pure speed trap,” says Goodwin.

Goodwin says he talked to a woman looking at a Heath condo who says she no longer wants to move to the city after receiving a ticket in the mail. Also, he says, the cameras are also hurting his business and others on 79.

“I’ve had two customers tell me that they hated to come out here to drive through Heath to take the chance to come see me. That makes you feel really good about
your city! The ones that are really getting impacted the first ones are the restaurants, the waitresses, the kitchen help. They’re getting their hours cut, there is an impact. I’ve talked to the managers.”

The voters will decide whether or not the cameras stay November 3rd, but Goodwin says that may be too late for the businesses already losing customers.