ST. CHARLES COUNTY • "Be careful what you ask for—you might get it."
That's how St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann sums up part of a  he sent to municipal officials about the ongoing court fight over an amendment banning red-light cameras approved by voters last year.
In the letter, Ehlmann said if St. Peters and other plaintiffs win the legal battle, an upshot might be less money eventually going to cities from a countywide property tax for street and bridge work.
He says that the county was required by the 1992 charter, also passed by voters, to continue rebating half of the money from that tax to the municipality in which it was collected.
That requirement was imposed, he points out, even though state law says that the 50 percent rebate to cities is merely optional.
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In both situations, Ehlmann said, voters have imposed a charter provision allowed under state law.Â
"Ironically, if the courts agree with the plaintiffs (on blocking the camera amendment), municipalities will no longer be entitled to that rebate by law," Ehlmann wrote to St. Peters Mayor Len Pagano and others on April 28.
Ehlmann said the state itself does require a lesser percentage to go to cities. Pagano, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment.
However, another plaintiff in the case, O'Fallon City Councilman Jim Pepper, said he and other muny officials regard Ehlmann's letter as a threat.
Ehlmann insisted that wasn't the case and said he doesn't anticipate retreating from the 50 percent rebate himself. But he said at some point in the future, "there may be a county executive who wants to stick it to them."
When told of Ehlmann's explanation, Pepper repeated that the letter was perceived as a threat. "Let's face it, the perception is reality," he said.
Plaintiffs in the camera case are challenging the ban on principle even though St. Peters decided to stop using its cameras following the countywide vote on the issue.
Among their arguments is that the ban runs counter to state laws giving municipalities exclusive control over traffic regulation within their borders.
Ehlmann in his letter makes the point that the county's voters made the decision on the camera issue, not the county.
"The state constitution does not allow the county to tell (the cities) anything, but does allow voters in a charter county to tell them what to do," he said.
Joining St. Peters and Pepper as plaintiffs are the cities of O'Fallon and Lake Saint Louis and former Dardenne Prairie Mayor Pam Fogarty. Meanwhile, the county and state municipal leagues have issued statements of support for the lawsuit. (Mark Schlinkmann)
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—This report was compiled by Post-Dispatch political reporter Kevin McDermott.