El Monte : Lighting Study Planned

The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to hire BSI Consultants Inc. to formulate a plan for a citywide landscaping and street lighting maintenance district.

Public Works Director Bob Pinniger said the $36,400 study will calculate the costs of landscape contracts, street lighting and safety lighting at intersections, then develop a formula to divide the costs among the city’s taxpayers. The final cost to taxpayers could range from $6 to $30 per month, Pinniger said.

The landscape and street lighting maintenance district, if approved by the council, would generate $2.4 million in income for the city. The money would be used to balance the city’s budget and hire more Police and Fire Department personnel, Korduner said.

The move is designed to cut deficits that have accumulated since the abolition of General Revenue Sharing, said administrative officer Gregory Korduner. “About 41% of the nation’s cities are taking this measure to balance city budgets,” Korduner said.