Houston City Council settled the city's long running red-light camera controversy Wednesday.

Four council members voted against the deal with American Traffic Solutions. They said language in the settlement included that if the city is unable to collect money from outstanding violations, the settlement will have to be paid from the city's general fund. That jeopardizes a promise that violators, not taxpayers, would foot the bill.

"We could have structured the payments contingent on the red-light camera fees being collected," council member Clarence Bradford said. "The majority of council opted not to do that and put our general fund, which was struggling already, at further risk."

ATS will receive a guaranteed $4.8 million, but if the city collects on all the unpaid violations, ATS could get up to $12 million.

An attorney for ATS said taxpayers will not be stuck with the bill.

"The people who are going to pay the money are not the innocent taxpayers," said Andy Taylor, attorney for ATS. "It's going to be the red-light runners."

More than 200,000 citations for running red lights in Houston remain unpaid, keeping millions in fines from the city.

If each citation was paid, the city of Houston would collect more than $27 million. That takes into consideration the initial $75 plus a $25 late fee for each delinquent citation.

More than 10,000 citations were issued between July 24, 2011, and Aug. 24, 2011, the one month when the city turned the red-light cameras back on after they were turned off following the November 2010 election. 

Last week, City Attorney David Feldman told KPRC Local 2 that red-light ticket violators are responsible for the fines even though the cameras are no longer operating in the city. 

Ronney Carroll paid his bill Wednesday.

"I think they should pay like I did," he said. "When it was in effect, they got the ticket."

Rob Simmons said he doesn't think violators should pay.

"I don't think we should have to pay because we voted, as a community, to not have those red lights," Simmons said. "I don't care what their contract says."

Red-light cameras around the city will be removed within the next 60 days. They were turned off last year.