Street Lighting District increase approved

On July 23 the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to increase the San Diego County Street Lighting District annual assessment from $6.17 to $6.48 per benefit unit for properties in Zone A of that district.

“Basically, it reflects increases in the cost of electricity, materials, and labor,” said Michele Stress, the county Department of Public Works program coordinator for special districts.

The increase is expected to generate an additional $51,453 for the district. The Department of Public Works, which operates the San Diego County Street Lighting District, has adopted a policy of slight annual increases to keep pace with energy cost rather than a large increase as was the case in 2004. “It’s the same percentage that we did last year,” Stress said.

While electricity is a significant expense in maintaining the street lights, the increase in material costs has not only led to the increased cost of purchasing specific quantities of material needed for a street light but has also led to metal theft, especially of copper, from county lights. “It’s starting to really add up,” Stress said.

Over the past 18 months eight incidences of metal theft have forced the replacement of material in street lights maintained by the county. The costs for the first seven replacements have totaled $61,000. “If it keeps on going it will impact our budget,” Stress said. “We sure would like the public’s help if they see anyone stealing the copper wire.”

Vandalism crimes and motor vehicle knockdowns have also forced DPW to replace lights.

The San Diego County Street Lighting District was formed in September 1987. The district itself includes the entirety of unincorporated San Diego County; Zone A covers parcels which benefit from street lights in the district while Zone B consists of the remainder of the district.

The district operates approximately 10,000 lights, some of which are owned by the county and some of which are owned by San Diego Gas & Electric but for which the San Diego County Street Lighting District pays the electricity costs. Approximately 37 percent of the lights are owned by SDG&E.

Zone A includes 786 street lights in Fallbrook, 78 in Bonsall, seven in Rainbow, and one in Pala.

Zone A covers more than 100,000 benefit units and 200,000 customers. In 1987 the voters approved an assessment rate of up to $25 per year per benefit unit, with a single-family home equating to one benefit unit, although in 1990 the fee was reduced from $23.00 to $2.50 per benefit unit.

That $2.50 assessment remained unchanged until 2004, when rising energy costs and a state budget shift from special districts did not allow increased efficiency to offset the additional expenses. The assessment was increased to $5.33 per benefit unit for Fiscal Year 2004-05, $5.60 for 2005-06, $5.88 for 2006-07, and $6.17 for 2007-08.

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