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Ripon (CA) to Turn Off Streetlights After Voters Reject Fee Hike
kxtv.com ^

Posted on 01/07/2004 8:56:42 AM PST by 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.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: California
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1 posted on 01/07/2004 8:56:43 AM PST by chance33_98
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To: chance33_98
Does Lisa Simpson live in that town?
2 posted on 01/07/2004 8:59:43 AM PST by smith288 (Secret member of the VRWC elite forces)
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To: chance33_98
$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.
3 posted on 01/07/2004 9:00:06 AM PST by jimkress (America has become Soviet Union Lite)
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To: chance33_98
We'll show those arrogant voters who's boss!
4 posted on 01/07/2004 9:00:56 AM PST by What Is Ain't
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To: chance33_98
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?
5 posted on 01/07/2004 9:02:02 AM PST by Mears
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To: chance33_98
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.

6 posted on 01/07/2004 9:02:38 AM PST by Montfort
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To: chance33_98
I wish they'd turn off a few of the streetlights in my neighborhood.
7 posted on 01/07/2004 9:03:17 AM PST by ArrogantBustard
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To: chance33_98
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.
8 posted on 01/07/2004 9:04:56 AM PST by kingu
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To: chance33_98
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.

9 posted on 01/07/2004 9:05:49 AM PST by norraad ("What light!">Blues Brothers)
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To: Mears
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.

10 posted on 01/07/2004 9:07:02 AM PST by Montfort
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most podunk towns like that respond to money shortages by ticketing out of town cars going 1mph over the speed limit.
11 posted on 01/07/2004 9:07:41 AM PST by KneelBeforeZod (If God hadn't meant for them to be sheared, he wouldn't have made them sheep.)
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To: 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.
12 posted on 01/07/2004 9:08:23 AM PST by Montfort
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To: chance33_98
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.
13 posted on 01/07/2004 9:11:10 AM PST by kevao
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To: chance33_98
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.

14 posted on 01/07/2004 9:11:30 AM PST by hopespringseternal
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To: chance33_98
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.
15 posted on 01/07/2004 9:12:30 AM PST by Az Joe
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To: KneelBeforeZod
"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.
16 posted on 01/07/2004 9:15:37 AM PST by Poser
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To: chance33_98
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.
17 posted on 01/07/2004 9:16:52 AM PST by Atlas Sneezed
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To: chance33_98
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.
18 posted on 01/07/2004 9:17:59 AM PST by RightWhale (Repeal the Law of the Excluded Middle)
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To: chance33_98
Lights don't keep you safe.

Lights show the criminals the way in and out.

Save your money, buy some guns.

19 posted on 01/07/2004 9:23:32 AM PST by G.Mason (I won't call them Nazis until the second revolution begins)
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To: chance33_98
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.

20 posted on 01/07/2004 9:25:28 AM PST by narby (McGovern lost in 72 - and launched the left's takover of the Dem party)
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