School Speed Cameras Catch the AJC Asleep at the Wheel
Macon-Bibb Breaks the Law on Speed Cameras—And It Took a Talk Show Host to Find Out
Let’s be real here: Atlanta’s media has dropped the ball—big time. If you’re looking for investigative reporting, look anywhere but the Atlanta news outlets. How did it take a local talk show host to discover that Macon-Bibb County violated the law when it installed speed cameras at private schools that didn’t want them? You’d think Atlanta’s media would be all over this—after all, this is a clear case of illegal activity by local government. But nope, the real work fell on a talk show host while the big media outlets slept on the job. The story was originally brought to light by a talk show host, and then reported on by a local paper.
Macon-Bibb and the Broken Law
Here’s the situation. Macon-Bibb County decided to install speed cameras in front of private schools in 2023. The problem? The county completely skipped over the law. According to Georgia law, schools have to apply to the Department of Transportation (DOT) before these cameras can be installed. But Macon-Bibb didn’t bother with that step.
In 2023, Macon Mayor Lester Miller met with the heads of private schools in the area, under the guise of talking about the Christmas parade. But while he had their attention, he casually mentioned that the county was installing speed cameras in front of public schools, and suggested private schools could get them too. But here’s where things took a turn. After some back-and-forth, officials showed up at private schools with forms for the heads of those schools to sign, demanding signatures for the cameras to go up, regardless of whether the schools wanted them. That’s not how the law works.
The Law Was Clear, But Macon-Bibb Didn't Care
The law is straightforward: before installing speed cameras, schools must apply to the DOT. But that didn’t happen. Macon-Bibb skipped that process and installed cameras without the proper permissions. And the Atlanta media? They were too busy covering irrelevant stories to catch this blatant violation of the law. In fact, it took Erick Erickson, a talk show host, to expose it. That’s a real shame.
Macon’s Response: A Lot of Backpedaling
After the cameras were installed, complaints started rolling in. Drivers were getting tickets—even for speeding outside of school hours. And when the complaints reached the mayor, he tried to backpedal. Mayor Lester Miller claimed that no one was forced to sign the papers. He also said the cameras were only meant as a deterrent, and some schools had requested the cameras. But that’s not what the headmasters were saying. They were told the cameras were going up, no questions asked.
After the backlash, Miller finally turned off the cameras at some schools. But let’s be real: the damage was already done. Not only was this whole thing illegal, it was an abuse of power. The fact that this was swept under the rug by Atlanta’s media is beyond frustrating.
Why This Matters at the Gold Dome
Now, let’s talk about why this is so relevant under the Gold Dome in Atlanta. Rep. Dale Washburn’s bill to ban these speed cameras has already passed the Georgia House with overwhelming support. The bill is aimed at stopping local governments from using these cameras as cash grabs and ensuring they don’t violate the law. The Atlanta media should have been all over this story from the start, tracking down these illegal practices, but instead, they were more focused on fluff stories.
Instead, Erickson—not a journalist, mind you—had to be the one to bring this issue to light. And now, the state legislature is debating whether to pass Washburn’s bill to ban these cameras statewide. Why didn’t the media step up and report on this earlier? It’s their job to keep local governments in check, not let them get away with illegal actions.
The Real Issue: Government Overreach and Cash Grabs
At the heart of this issue is government overreach and the relentless push to make more money off citizens. We’re talking about millions in fines from these cameras, all while violating the law to do so. Macon-Bibb County took in $11 million from these cameras, and it’s clear that this was never about public safety—it was about taking more money from people.
The fact that Macon-Bibb broke the law to do it should be a huge concern. But instead of holding the county accountable, the Atlanta media let this slip through the cracks, and now the state legislature is left cleaning up the mess.
What Should the Media Be Doing?
The Atlanta media should have been digging into this months ago. They should’ve been investigating how Macon-Bibb installed these cameras without following the law. They should’ve been questioning the county and demanding answers. But instead, they missed the boat, and a talk show host had to step in and expose it.
It’s time for the media to do their job. They had time for a stupid puff piece about the best dressed legislators, but made no effort to investigate one of the most watched issues in Georgia politics. They need to stop covering the fashion and start investigating government actions that affect everyday Georgians. If they don’t, we’ll keep seeing this kind of thing—illegal actions being brushed under the rug while taxpayers get taken advantage of.
What’s Next?
With Rep. Washburn’s bill making its way through the legislature, we’ve got a chance to ban these cameras and stop the local governments from using them to exploit citizens. But this isn’t just about Macon-Bibb—this is happening all over Georgia. It’s time the media starts doing their job and holding local governments accountable before more of these scams slip through the cracks.
Until then, we’ll keep calling out the corruption and inefficiency of local governments and the media that refuses to hold them accountable. Stay tuned, folks. There’s more to this story, and it’s far from over.
For more updates on speed camera scandals and the fight for real reform, stay tuned to Georgia First News—where we hold the government accountable and demand the truth.