HEATH, Ohio -- Tens of thousands of Central Ohioans have received tickets from red-light and speed cameras.
Now businesses are worried that drivers and potential customers will stay away from areas where the cameras are watching.
A recent article listed Chillicothe and Heath as two of the worst cities to drive through in America because of their controversial ticket cameras.
The report, from Motorists.org, said Health and Chillicothe rank second behind Chicago and ahead of Los Angeles as places to avoid during the upcoming Labor Day weekend because of the speed and red-light cameras.
Duane Goodwin, a local business owner said the issue is more than a simple man vs. town battle. He said it's digging into his and others' pockets.
"I've got four customers (who) said they got $100 tickets to see me. A woman got a ticket. Her order was $100. She doubled her order!" Goodwin said.
Just down the street from Goodwin's company in Heath, Laurie Moore's story is the same.
Her family worked for 20 years to earn a reputation as a quality business. Now, she's worried that she will be more known for her location than her work.
"I've had several customers come in with tickets to pick stuff up. Will they come back?" Moore said. "People call in orders and say, 'Are you by the speed traps?'"
The economy has already taken some business away for just about everyone.
Goodwin said he thinks that if the cameras keep nabbing potential customers, they won't come back when the economy recovers.
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