Practice Management

Arizona's Budget Cutbacks: Speed cameras backfire, kill work ethic.

By Dan Hull

Subduing the driven--and rewarding the Slackoiesie? According to our friend and colleague Dr. Michael O'Neil, political consultant and pollster with Tempe, Arizona-based O'Neil Associates Inc., and a frequent television news commentator, that's exactly what speed cameras--part of Arizona's solution to its current budget crisis--are doing to the state's citizenry. Along with other states, Arizona is grappling with its largest state budget shortfall ever. New governor Jan Brewer is doing all she can. We are all moved by Arizona's grit and resolve.

But speed cameras? It's a hidden and "pernicious" tax, O'Neil argued one Sunday morning on an NBC affiliate with the buzz-saw precision of Clarence Darrow on his best roll. Speed cameras were slowing busy Arizonans down. Stifling achievement in Type As. And lulling the laid-back and lazy into deeper sloth-like comas. We agree. This from the State that gave us the late Sen. Barry Goldwater, Moses of the American Right, who as an inspired no-nonsense candidate for President of the U.S. in 1964 urged Americans to get off their sofas, stand up on two feet and get back to work? The Senator told us to get out there and inherit a chain of department stores, just like he did. Say it ain't so, Arizona.

Mike O'Neil explains the unintended consequences of the Arizona speed camera tax in his NBC commentary here.

Full post as published by What About Clients? on February 19, 2009 (boomark / email).