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Wilsonville has assessed a monthly street lighting fee since 1991. It is based <br /> on the level of lighting service provided to a neighborhood, ranging from <br /> $0.80 to $5.01 per residence. Commercial/industrial property is assessed based <br /> on the number of employees or number of commercial/residential units. There <br /> had been no significant opposition. <br /> On a different note, the City of Ashland operates street lighting as part of the <br /> City's electrical utility services. It does not levy a separate fee for the service <br /> since it is part of the operating cost of the electrical utility. Ashland has had no <br /> opposition to including costs of street lights in electric billings. <br /> Policies Choices The following list identifies some of the major policy choices which would <br /> need to be considered in order to develop an ordinance for implementation of a <br /> street lighting fee: <br /> • What level of street lighting services within the city is desirable? <br /> • Should the City continue to operate and maintain street lighting or <br /> should the service be provided by an independent separate district? <br /> • Should street lighting maintenance and operation continue to be <br /> funded from the Road Fund, or should another existing or new revenue <br /> source be used? <br /> • Is a fee for city street lighting services, assessed according to benefits <br /> provided by those services, an appropriate revenue source? <br /> • How should a fee be assessed to best balance fairness in allocating <br /> service costs with efficiency in fee administration and collection? <br /> • Should the fee be collected along with current city wastewater billings, <br /> or by another method? <br /> • Is there to be an appeal process? <br /> • Should there be a method for neighborhoods to request higher or lower <br /> levels of street lighting service, with accompanying adjustment of fees <br /> assessed? <br /> • Will fee levels be adjusted from time to time by ordinance, resolution <br /> or by administrative order? <br /> Draft dated 1/20/2006, 2:03 PM <br /> 4 <br />