By Ricardo Roura
Los Angeles voters will make the decision renew more than 200,000 streetlights throughout the citycontemplated in an evaluation proposal in Proposition 218.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bassurged voters to approve the proposal, which would increase rates for property owners by approximately 120% to help fund a $125 million program to replace more than 200,000 streetlights.
According to municipal officials, the right system generates about $45 million dollars and has not been updated since the 1990swhen California voters passed Proposition 218 to require approval for new or increased local contributions.
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According to the law, city cannot increase street lighting rates without majority vote from affected homeowners, a process that has kept much of the financing system unchanged for decades.
It is planned that about 600,000 ballots with the proposal are sent starting this week to the voters of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles authorities assure that copper cable theft aggravates infrastructure problemsbecause thieves steal it from underground fiber optic lines and disable public lighting in different neighborhoods throughout the city.
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More than 32,000 repair requests are pending of streetlights in the city of Los Angeles.
Bass said that There are plans to install 60,000 new solar streetlightswhich do not rely on copper wiring, as part of an effort to reduce power outages related to theft of shipping materials.
“As long as voters support attention to street lighting, we will be able to replace the 200,000 streetlights throughout the city. Something that is greatly needed,” declared Mayor Karen Bass.
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A sample of the renovation is in the Cheviot Hills areawhere newly installed solar streetlights are already illuminating streets that were recently in darkness.
“Without a doubt, having light is an advantage“said a resident of Cheviot Hills, grateful for the renewal of public lighting.
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