[intakexhaust]

Why is it a problem? The entire program is built on revenue only and its CORRUPT. Check out the Australian company in bed with the usual Chicago con's. They planned the corruption right from the start!

A huge Chicago Tribune investigation into the city's red-light camera program has taken another astonishing turn.


Redflex Holdings Ltd, the parent company of Chicago's ex-red-light camera vendor, acknowledged last week the entire camera program was "likely built on a $2 million bribery scheme," the Tribune reports.


The company also "outlined a series of its own failures and misdeeds involving an alleged bribery scheme the company said was 'apparently proposed' by the former city official who oversaw its contract."


More from the Tribune:


"In a release Sunday to Australian authorities and shareholders, the parent company for Chicago's red-light camera vendor outlined a series of its own failures and misdeeds involving an alleged bribery scheme the company said was 'apparently proposed' by the former city official who oversaw its contract.


"The internal probe was commissioned after disclosures by the Chicago Tribune in October. The findings, many of which first were disclosed in Sunday's newspaper, concluded that Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. paid $2.03 million to the consultant on its Chicago contract with some of the money intended for the city official.


"The then-president and then-executive vice president of the Phoenix-based subsidiary 'had knowledge that would have made any reasonable person highly suspicious that this was a bribery scheme, and they acted improperly in allowing this arrangement to occur,' the Australian parent company, Redflex Holdings Ltd., said in the summary filed with the Australian Securities Exchange.


"The probe also found that the subsidiary falsely told the Tribune and city officials last year that it had thoroughly investigated allegations of wrongdoing after the Tribune obtained a two-year-old whistle-blower letter by a company employee.'"


Even before the Tribune's investigation, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was heavily criticized for the red-light camera program. Last year, a Crain's poll found many Chicago business owners and managers faulted Mr. Emanuel for handing the red-light-camera contract to Redflex. "A contract for cameras that no one wants or needs . . . so much for transparency," one business owner said to Crain's.


The Tribune notes that the scandal "has cost Redflex its Chicago contract, which provided about 13 percent of the Australian company's annual revenue and has been worth nearly $100 million over its lifetime."


"In addition, Mayor Rahm Emanuel banned Redflex from competing for the city's upcoming speed camera program. Redflex had been considered a top contender, and the scandal delayed the progress of the program, which Emanuel is counting on for revenue in this year's budget," the daily reports.