PHOENIX - Valley drivers found guilty of speeding by photo enforcement cameras will have to pay an extra $20 fee starting next month.
"The tickets are high enough as it is," said Camilla Hart, a Valley driver.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved the fee hike in a meeting Wednesday morning.
Officials said the justice courts have been overwhelmed by photo enforcement cases since the speed camera program went into effect.
And the increase, which goes into effect Dec. 1, will offset court costs.
In some areas, judges said speed camera cases make up half the case load. And each one of those costs about $21.50 for the court to hear, according to the county.
In fact, so far this year, almost 400,000 photo radar cases have hit the court system.
"I guess I can see how people's time would be wasted," said Pat Dyer, another Valley driver.
Arizona lawmakers started the photo program last year.
But because it was passed by the state with no money set aside for local governments, it’s an extra cost the county has to handle.
“The county's budget is just as strained as the state’s budget,” said County Justice Judge John Ore. “Without more resources, we can’t handle the case load we have now.”
Speed camera tickets normally cost $180.
The $20 fee would only be charged to drivers who contest their tickets and lose.
But some drivers say this is forcing them to pay for something they should be able to fight for free.
"That's what it's there for is to protect us, but now they're even charging us to use the system," said driver Ed Arce.
View current Valley freeway speed camera locations.
