The Sacramento County Department of Transportation (SacDOT) operates the Safe Street Lighting Program to maintain and repair street lights and the overhead safety lights at major intersections in unincorporated areas of the County and in Rancho Cordova. Fully functioning lighting benefits everyone by increasing the safety of drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists on our streets.

Property owners pay an annual assessment to help fund lighting operations and maintenance. Your assessment rate depends on the type of lighting in your area and the type of property you own. (Property owners in other cities pay an assessment to their city for this service.)

Property owners may be asked to vote on funding for the Sacramento County Safe Street Light Program (for those who have street lights on their streets) and the Sacramento County Intersection Safety Lighting Program (for those with no street lights who only pay a share of costs of intersection safety lights Countywide). The vote would determine the rate that property owners are assessed and the level of lighting service the County can provide.

Revenues raised by the current assessment have not kept up with expenses:

• The assessment has not increased since 1994
• Electricity costs have increased by 26% and are scheduled to increase another 7% next year
• Parts and materials costs have increased 40%
• Reserve funds are depleted

To close the funding gap, SacDOT has reduced the level of maintenance and increased repair times from a previous average of 5 days to as long as 30 days. Increased revenues would accelerate repairs, increase street safety, and allow SacDOT to install new energy-efficient light systems as they are available.