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Mayor Martin Chavez says he is leaning toward a veto of a City Council bill that would shut down Albuquerque's red-light camera program temporarily.

The mayor's comments at a Tuesday news conference came less than a day after the council voted 3-2 to halt the program while a panel evaluates whether the cameras are achieving their stated goal — to reduce accidents at 20 of the city's major intersections.

If the mayor does veto the legislation, which was sponsored by newly elected council President Brad Winter, red-light camera opponents might have a hard time rounding up the six votes needed to override it.

On Monday, only Winter, Michael Cadigan and Rey Garduño voted in favor of the bill. Isaac Benton and Debbie O'Malley voted against.

The remaining four councilors boycotted the meeting in protest of Winter's efforts to get elected council president. Winter would need three of the four — Sally Mayer, Ken Sanchez, Don Harris and Trudy Jones — to join him in any override effort.

The four had charged Winter with unscrupulous behavior in his quest to become president. Both Mayer and Sanchez said Winter had promised them his support in their own bids for the job.

In proposing the moratorium on red-light camera fines, Winter cited concerns that the program is mismanaged and that the proceeds are being used to fund other city expenses, which the mayor has denied.

Police Chief Ray Schultz argued against shutting down the program during Monday's council meeting, saying it is having the desired effect. Fewer drivers are being cited at the intersections, he said, though he would not release statistics.

Chavez had long defended the controversial cameras before appointing the nine-member panel to study them in November, saying he'd grown concerned that accidents were not being reduced and that he wanted to study the program.

The panel is set to issue its report in mid-January. Winter said he'd consider resuming the program if the task force report shows it's working.