Legislation making its way through the Illinois legislature in Springfield could potentially blanket approximately half of Chicago with speed cameras. The measure, introduced by House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton and supported by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, would place cameras within one-eighth mile of a school, college or Park District facility. The kicker on this sweet deal: Speeders would be fined $100.

Anything that’s dressed up as a public safety measure but contains fines—or a revenue boost, depending on how you see it—should be thoroughly examined before implementation. Chicago is full of schools, colleges and Park District facilities. Under the current proposal, 47 percent of city streets would be monitored by speed cameras. That includes the massive O’Hare International Airport and Lake Calumet regions, which have few public roads, thus making the actual percentage higher.

It’s hard not to see this legislation as a revenue gimmick. Emanuel is busy fighting off red ink at City Hall, so it’s no wonder he’s getting creative with ways to raise money. But this bill goes too far and would be another intrusion of Big Brother into motorists’ lives on top of the plentiful red light cameras.

No report has shown that accidents near schools are skyrocketing to justify this invasion of privacy. If safety really is the issue here, there are plenty of other ways to ensure that students get to and from school without fining everyone who drives 5 mph more than the speed limit. Speed bumps and crossing guards are already on site to protect students—and the number of these can increase if Emanuel deems it necessary. But don’t try to fool us, mayor, with a new revenue scheme. Chicagoans are smarter than that.