Vote YES on Prop 319

SURVEILLANCE IS NOT SAFETY

Drawing the line against mass surveillance

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This fall, Arizona voters will decide Prop 319 — our chance to draw the line against mass surveillance. Prop 319 would stop cities and towns from installing new traffic photo enforcement systems, which increasingly use automated license plate readers (ALPR) — the same technology used by Flock.

Cities that already have these systems could keep using them for now. But they would need voter approval to keep using them beyond 2028. Prop 319 puts the power where it belongs: with voters.

We don’t need to sacrifice privacy for safety. We can have both.

Taking a Stand Against Creeping Mass Surveillance

Photo enforcement systems are one of the most visible forms of modern mass surveillance. Networks of cameras — often managed by third-party vendors — record cars and people moving through our state. Cities often say these cameras only take photos when someone breaks the law. But company marketing shows that ALPR technology can do much more.

In Phoenix, the private company running the camera system has access to your name, address, plate data, and personal information. These are mass surveillance networks — built without our consent.

Policing for Profit: Steep Fines Hurt Working Families

In Arizona, photo enforcement has become a regressive system that allows cities and towns to generate revenue at the expense of the working poor. In other states, speeding tickets start as low as $25. Here, drivers can face a $250 ticket for first-time, low-level offenses. That’s two days' pay for someone earning minimum wage.

And much of that money doesn’t even stay local. In Paradise Valley, for example, 40% of ticket revenue goes to the state. Another 33% goes to the private camera company, and 12% goes to police operations that review camera footage. Only 15% goes directly to the town.

We Should Invest in Safety, Not Surveillance

There’s no question that traffic enforcement saves lives. But there are other options. When Phoenix lengthened yellow traffic lights, red light violations fell by 60%. Simple steps, including radar-operated speed reminders, installing more street signs in school zones, and traffic-calming road design, also make a big difference in preventing road accidents and deaths.

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