Ripon (CA) to Turn Off Streetlights After Voters Reject Fee Hike

kxtv.com ^

[chance33_98]

Ripon to Turn Off Streetlights After Voters Reject Fee Hike

The streets in some Ripon neighborhoods are about to get a bit darker. Starting this week, the city will start dimming hundreds of streetlights in town.

The city's lighting district faced a budget shortfall of $35,000 last year because of increasing energy costs. The district went to voters last July for a tax increase. The annual cost per household would have gone up from $25 to $42, but voters rejected the increase. As a result, 400 streetlights around town be turned off to save money .

The lights to be extinguished will be scattered across town, in an effort to keep some lights on in each neighborhood. Most will be out by the end of January.

Ripon is the largest of 17 special lighting districts administered by the San Joaquin County Department of Public Works.

[smith288]

Does Lisa Simpson live in that town?

[jimkress]

$35,000 is about 50% of the salary of one bureaucrat. It's pathetic that these government thugs will put the people of the community at risk rather than terminating one of their own, useless fellow employees.

[What Is Ain't]

We'll show those arrogant voters who's boss!

[Mears]

Wait for the first lawsuit after someone gets mugged or trips and falls on a dark street.

Are all politicians idiots or does it just seem that way?

[Montfort]

Yeah. Punish those mean, stingy taxpayers. That'll teach them.

The last thing a local gov't would consider doing would be downsizing staff (or reducing hours) or cancelling junkets or cushy seminars or morale-building retreats.

[ArrogantBustard]

I wish they'd turn off a few of the streetlights in my neighborhood.

[kingu]

Ripon, clap-clap, Rip-off!

A shame that the television station couldn't be bothered to state what the budget was last year, or how energy costs which are much lower than they were in the middle of the GrayOuts are suddenly too much for the budget.

[norraad]

Interesting scam, streetlights could be a little dimmer, however, they serve another purpose, balancing grid load.

Someone in budget is just trying another creative way to scam gullible taxpayers.

[Montfort]

No. That's the problem. Everyone else is held legally accountable for bad decisions that cause injury, but government honchos and their staffs are generall immune from legal liability for bad decisions. Now if they do things that are clearly outside the scope of what they are supposed to do, like running a gambling hall or brothel on government property, or self-dealing, that's different. But they are basically immune from liability for dangerously stupid mistakes.

Also, I remember learning somewhere that local governments owe no "duty to protect" the public. You can vote the elected people out of office, but you cannot sue the police for never showing up to save a life.

[KneelBeforeZod]

most podunk towns like that respond to money shortages by ticketing out of town cars going 1mph over the speed limit.

[Montfort]

BTW, that last bit is not legal advice, just stuff remembered off the top of my head, and it could be wrong. I'm sure as heck not going to hold myself out to be sued.

[kevao]

With 400 fewer lights to service, they can probably cut a couple of city employees. And then, with those savings, turn the lights back on.

[hopespringseternal]

Full cutoff fixtures that light the ground rather than the sky allow the use of dimmer bulbs. The retrofit quickly pays for itself and results in long term savings.

So naturally, governments everywhere are opposed to them.

[Az Joe]

Hey why don't they just have rolling street light brownouts? The idea may catch on.

I mean, come on, how much light do we really need? I think we have entirely too much light at night.

[Poser]

"most podunk towns like that respond to money shortages by ticketing out of town cars going 1mph over the speed limit."

My city always threatens not to staff the fire station and to eliminate school sports. I can't believe that those idiots keep getting reelected. The voters are sheep.

[Atlas Sneezed]

This is the classic extortion-by-government ploy.

In another city a few years back, they stopped trash collection in City parks (removed the cans) while the parks department hired two new landscape architects.

[RightWhale]

Yes! A victory for those who don't like the lights shining onto their houses and into their bedroom windows, and a victory for the children who might get to see Mars for themselves and a victory for night watchmen who will not be blinded by the glare.

[G.Mason]

Lights don't keep you safe.

Lights show the criminals the way in and out.

Save your money, buy some guns.

[narby]

This reminds me of when the Gingrich Congress wouldn't pass Clinton's budget, and Clinton closed the National Parks and other things that would have the greatest impact on the people.

Cheap move.