Some Santa Ana leaders want to pilot CA’s speed camera program

Some Santa Ana leaders want the city to join California’s speed camera program, citing concerns about unsafe drivers.

A 2023 state law allows five cities, like Los Angeles, to pilot cameras that detect speeding drivers and generate citations. Those cameras already are set up in San Francisco and Oakland.

The Santa Ana City Council on Tuesday directed staff to bring back a resolution that if approved, would be sent to Assemblymember Avelino Valencia and state Sen. Tom Umberg, requesting that the law be amended to include Santa Ana.

Councilmembers Johnathan Ryan Hernandez, Jessie Lopez and David Penaloza stepped out of the chamber before the final direction was decided.

Mayor Valerie Amezcua and Councilmembers Phil Bacerra, Thai Viet Phan and Benjamin Vazquez supported directing staff to look into the ask.

How did we get here? 

Tuesday’s discussion was introduced by Bacerra, who said Segerstrom Avenue in his district is especially unsafe due to speeding drivers.

Bacerra pointed to a deadly car crash on Segerstrom Avenue that killed five young people last year. The speeding car drove into a tree, ejecting three passengers and severely injuring others.

“Posting police officers at problem spots in the city is not feasible,” Bacerra said. “I don't think you're going to get speed humps allowed per state standards, on Segerstrom, on Fairview, on Bristol, on any other arterial where we're seeing high speeds.”

How would it work? 

If Santa Ana were included in the pilot program under the state law, the city would have to launch a public information campaign. For the first 60 days of the cameras being installed, speeding drivers receive a warning.

But after that grace period is over, drivers will start receiving citations.

Robert Rodriguez, Santa Ana Police dhief, said the citation would either be issued through departments such as public works or transportation agencies.

“[It] has nothing to do with PD,” Rodriguez explained.

What are some concerns?

Phan, who represents Ward 1, said if these cameras and the associated work are expected to cost the city in the million-dollar range, she would not be supportive of moving forward with the request to state officials.

Santa Ana is looking at a $19 million budget deficit this year. The city is also bracing for a special voter-approved sales tax to sunset in 2029 and could miss out on about $30 million in revenue when the tax rate goes down, before completely going away in 2039.

“I am not particularly curious about sending staff and our lobbyists to go work with these state legislators to pass a bill that we're not going to implement because it's going to cost a million dollars,” Phan said. “It's like we're trying to make promises to the community that we're not going to be able to do because we're looking at a $19 million budget deficit.”

That kind of money could be used elsewhere to improve driver and pedestrian safety, Phan added, including the police, code enforcement or public works departments.

What’s next? 

City staff is expected to bring a drafted resolution, along with a cost analysis of the program, in two weeks. The council will vote on whether to move forward from there.