Speed camera plan advances

Mayor Rahm Emanuel made a slight tweak to his controversial speed-camera ticketing plan Wednesday, unveiling a version with a lower fine just before a City Council committee considered the measure and recommended approval.A ticket for driving six to 10 mph over the limit in a speed camera zone was reduced from $50 to $35. The fine for going 11 mph or more over the limit will stay at $100.It was Emanuel's second concession to opponents on one of his signature initiatives in as many days. On Tuesday, Emanuel said he would support a seven-hour day for students in the city's public elementary schools, a step back from the 71/2-hour day he has been pushing since last fall. The change came after parents groups said 71/2 hours is too long for young children to be in school, and after threats of a strike by the Chicago Teachers Union.

The mayor already had made changes to the camera plan as he tries to build support among aldermen leery of voting for a package that many of their constituents view as a cash grab by the city. Emanuel previously cut back the hours the city could operate cameras near schools and parks to fewer hours than allowed by the state law, which he pushed through the Capitol last fall.Wednesday's council committee vote was applauded by the Traffic Safety Coalition, a group pushing for the speed cameras that is run by close Emanuel political ally Greg Goldner and funded by Redflex Traffic Systems, the city's red-light camera vendor. "The City Council vote today will help address speeding in Chicago, a problem that causes concern across the country," a news release states.

The mayor's administration made other tweaks to the camera plan Wednesday, hoping the full council passes the plan next week.Aldermen will be notified where the cameras will go in their wards but won't be able to block them. Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein said there will "always be a back-and-forth, a respectful dialogue" with aldermen about the location of the cameras. But when pressed by Ald. Thomas Tunney, 44th, Klein acknowledged aldermen will not be able to stop the city from installing cameras in particular spots.