alstry (34.80)

Electricity Usage Evaporating....Turn Out The Lights The Party Is OVER

December 09, 2009 – Comments (3)

MUNCIE -- Muncie motorists would be well served to check their high-beam headlights in the coming weeks.

They might need them after Superintendent of Public Works Pete Heuer announced this week that budget cuts would force the city to shut off 85 percent of overhead lights, much more than previously expected.

City council last month slashed the Board of Works electricity line item from $630,000 to $315,000 in an effort to balance the 2010 budget. It was unclear to what extent the cuts would affect overhead street lighting, though some council members had suggested eliminating every other light.

At Monday night's council meeting, Heuer delivered bad news.

Included in the line item are traffic signals and power for city hall, a fact that had gone undiscussed in prior public meetings and interviews.

City hall electricity costs about $64,000 and traffic signals cost about $91,000 per year, leaving only $160,000 to pay for overhead street lights in 2010, Heuer said.

"Only 603 street lights could remain on," Heuer said.

Muncie currently has 4,107 street lights in service.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20091209/NEWS05/912090383/Muncie-to-shut-off-most-street-lights

Cities can't afford street lights.....firefighters, police officers, teachers, hospitals......1.01.10

You Knew Before Anyone Else......Concentric Contraction begins just as Alstrydomous forecasted but many of you simply Alstrybated and did nohthing about it.

It is not hard to see....simply hard to believe so many knew but did nothing......what will the children say???