|
|
|
Updated: 8:35 AM Feb 2, 2010
Street Lights Turned Off, Trash Cans Removed To Save Money
The impacts of city budget cuts are starting to be seen around Colorado Springs.
Posted: 9:59 PM Jan 31, 2010Reporter: Sarah Schwabe Email Address: sschwabe@kktv.com |
|
33 Comments 
The impacts of city budget cuts are starting to be seen around Colorado Springs.
Over the next 10 weeks, between 8,000 and 10,000 street lights will be shut off, saving the city $1.2 million per year.
"We're in such dire straits with our budget we have to consider things like this," says John Leavitt, a city spokesperson.
Some people are concerned this cost saving idea will cost them their safety, but the city disagrees. Police weighed in on which street lights should be turned off.
"We feel confident that people will still be safe," says Leavitt.
Crews will target the least energy-efficient lights first, and lights near schools and hospitals will not be touched.
Those that are shut off will be marked with a strip of orange tape.
"So a citizen driving down their street notices a light out, if it doesn't have an orange strip of tape, it's a light that needs to be called in," says Leavitt.
The first neighborhood affected will be in the southwest quadrant of the city. After they finish those neighborhoods, they'll move to the north and to the east.
It's unclear how long street lights will be turned off. The city plans to reevaluate its financial situation every year and make recommendations to Colorado Springs City Council.
The Parks and Recreation Department is also tightening its belt because of budget cuts.
"Unfortunately the neighborhood parks are going to see the brunt of the cuts that will be employed," says Kurt Schroeder, Parks, Trails and Open Space Manager for Colorado Springs.
Trash cans are in the process of being removed from 128 neighborhood parks. The city will now rely on folks who use the parks to help keep them clean.
"What we're hoping is that people will take on more of an environmental ethic and if they bring some trash to the park, we sure would like them to take that home with them," says Schroeder.
The city will save about $5,400 by removing the trash cans, in addition to reducing dumping fees which totaled $58,000 last year.
Latest Comments
the dimmer lighting will be much appreciated as it will make people feel less conspicuous when they throw their trash on the ground.
This is happening in the UK too, so you're not alone. Human beings fear the dark, we always have. This was the first thing God created; "Let their be light". Without light, we fear evil (Prince of Darkness), and nothing grows so we have no food. The point of my comment is that there is nothing wrong with fearing the dark, it's built into your DNA, it's a primaeval instinct. However we are not accustomed to it, because of a lifetime of electricity, so the fear of the darkness is even greater than any of our ancestors ever had. But don't fear the dark, and realise that this is the future for all of us everywhere. Good luck Colorado, you are not alone in your anxiety for what's about to happen.
What a bunch of crying babies you people are! Suck it up. It's only a friggin street light. There are plenty of places in this city with no street lights at all. The city should have just said they were "going green" by turning off every other light and you winers would have bit it hook, line and sinker. Look, I voted for a tax increase too, but we didn't get it. Now let's make the best with what we have. The sky is not going to fall because every other light is turned off.
| National News - CBSnews.com |
|
| KKTV Online Poll |
