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commercial/industrial properties $3.75 per month. Klamath Falls created its fee in 1994 after street lights <br /> were turned off due to lack of funds, and now charges a flat fee of $2 per month on each occupied <br /> property as part of city utility billing. Unlighted neighborhoods are not charged, and neighborhoods are <br /> allowed to petition to remove their street lights and avoid the fee. <br /> For the City of Eugene it is possible to estimate what the assessments would be in FY07. The City <br /> expects to spend about $800,000 on street light operation and maintenance in FY07. About $40,000 in <br /> revenue is expected from the State Department of Transportation for lighting services along streets <br /> designated as state highways. If the net costs of $760,000 were assessed equally on all occupied property <br /> citywide and were included in utility billings, the monthly fee citywide would be about $0.75 per utility <br /> account per month in FY07. Of this amount $0.41 reflects costs of lighting along arterial /collectors, and <br /> $0.34 reflects citywide costs of neighborhood lighting. <br /> A simple basis for assessments has the advantage of low administrative overhead and can be supported by <br /> the argument that the whole transportation system and attendant street lighting services deliver a citywide <br /> benefit to all residents, regardless of where they live or conduct business. However, other bases for <br /> levying an assessment are possible. For instance, the assessment could be based upon street frontage of <br /> each individual property, type of use of each property, neighborhood of the occupied property, or some <br /> combination of factors. The total fee could be made up of a fixed citywide base component for lighting <br /> along arterials and collectors, and a variable local component to reflect local neighborhood street lighting <br /> service levels. <br /> City Local Improvement District <br /> Also, under Home Rule authority, the Eugene City Code provides procedures for levying assessments on <br /> benefited property for local improvements through use of a Local Improvement District. Over the years <br /> the City Council has established many Local Improvement Districts. While City Code concerning this <br /> type of district specifically addresses capital projects, the term "local improvement" as defined in City <br /> Code would allow services to be funded as well (City Code 7.010). A City Special Services District, <br /> being more flexible, would be better suited to fund street lighting services. <br /> In Washington County, street lighting for unincorporated areas is provided by a Local Improvement <br /> District formed under county home rule powers. <br /> Special Districts formed under State Statutes <br /> Highway Lighting District <br /> A Highway Lighting District may be created under ORS Chapter 372 to acquire, construct, operate and <br /> maintain lighting facilities along any public road. It may encompass both city and county territory but <br /> may only include property abutting a portion, not less than 600 feet in length, of a public road. District <br /> formation falls within the Lane County Boundary Commission's jurisdiction. The district would be <br /> governed by a board appointed by the Lane County Board of Commissioners. Fees may be assessed upon <br /> front footage rather than property value, and may not exceed $1 for each front foot of property abutting <br /> the lighted public road. Assessments do not require voter approval. However, although it would not be an <br /> ad valorum tax, under the statutes this revenue specifically would fall within the General Government tax <br /> cap and would contribute to tax compression. <br /> County Road District <br /> A County Road District may be formed within a city (ORS 371.055 to 371.1 10). Street lighting operation <br /> and maintenance may be one of its purposes. The Lane County Board has jurisdiction over formation of a <br /> Road District, and also would act as the Road District's governing board. For a district contained within a <br /> city, the city's council would receive and control expenditure of revenue from the Road District. The <br /> statutes specify that the district's board would have no role regarding expenditure of the districts revenue <br />