An interesting dynamic could be unfolding at Amarillo City Hall involving the future of the city's red-light camera initiative designed to catch those who violate traffic laws.

City commissioners appointed five members of the city's Traffic Commission to review the performance of the cameras prior to the city deciding whether to renew a contract with the vendor that supplies the equipment to the city.

Why is that interesting?

Well, city commissioners appoint traffic commissioners to their positions. A majority of city commissioners appear to endorse the presence of the cameras and, indeed, might vote to expand the deployment of the devices to more intersections throughout the city. Since the Traffic Commission works at the pleasure of the City Commission, will the advisory committee comprising traffic commissioners recommend the city end the program? That would appear to be highly unlikely.

The Legislature has forced the city to seek advice before renewing the vendor contract, which by itself is an unnecessary intrusion into what ought to be a strictly municipal affair. City commissioners have surveyed their own community and determined a need for red-light cameras to catch motorists who ignore the command to stop when stop lights turn red. Yet the Legislature, which only reluctantly gave cities the authority to install the cameras, has kept its hands on the city's business.

The city has declared that the cameras are doing their job. Motor vehicle owners are getting busted, they're paying their fines and the money - under state law - is paying for traffic safety improvements.

Will the advisory committee recommend that the city pull the plug on a program virtually everyone at City Hall says is working?

Hardly. Nor should it.