D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams has never made it a secret that he intends to use District traffic cameras to generate revenue. And after speeding cameras have proven to be even more profitable than the existing red light cameras, Washington D.C. is rolling out even more of them.

Motorists' fines and fees are projected to raise $21 million as part of an overall plan to boost city revenue by nearly $47 million in fiscal 2005. [...]

The Department of Public Works is expected to increase rush-hour towing to bring in an additional $464,000 and improve booting enforcement to raise $1.78 million.

The city will net more than $7.2 million by doubling its fleet of cars equipped with photo-radar cameras from six to 12. However, the projected gross of $13.7 million might be a conservative estimate. The current fleet of six automated radar cameras generated $19.8 million in the 12 months ending February. Since its inception in July 2001, the speed cameras have generated more than $45 million.

Along with the additional speed cameras, the city plans to raise $624,000 by installing 10 more cameras to catch red-light runners, bringing the total of such cameras in the city to 49. Those cameras, first used in August 1999, have raised $25 million.

I rarely travel into the district as it is, and the increase in traffic cameras doesn't make crossing the river sound any more appealing.

After failing to convince the federal government to permit them to institute a commuter tax on Virginia and Maryland residents, Washington D.C. is using targeted traffic enforcement as a back door tax on commuters. Such a move is not very surprising, and the District finding innovative ways to pay for social programs is nothing new. But you still have to wonder if using criminal fines is the best way to go about it. After all, you would think that the government would want to reduce crime. By tying the annual budget to fines from criminal enforcement, Washington D.C. actually has a vested interest in increasing crime.