Voters approve street light fees

The second time is the charm.

Before being forced to make nearly half-a-million dollars in cuts to services, the City of Arcadia gave property owners one more chance to approve a proposed street lighting fee system that could mean an extra couple bucks per month for the average private homeowner. And this time voters gave the idea their blessing by nearly 61%.

A similar vote failed less than two years ago due to what officials felt was a convoluted message that voters didn’t understand.

The vote, which closed Tuesday evening and results in property owners, including absentee business owners, picking up 40% (about $428,600) of the total cost of street light maintenance and repair, will not bring any new or improved lighting but it will keep the current lights on.

The City will pay 60% of the tab.

– By Scott Hettrick