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New Port Richey Council's Tie Vote Kills Street-Lighting Fee Increase

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 19, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Less than 50 cents a month.

That's how much extra city residents and business owners would have been paying under a proposal to increase the annual street-lighting fee by 22 percent this year.

But for some city council members, that was too much.

Tuesday night, a divided council voted 2-2 against the proposed increases. Because Deputy Mayor Bob Consalvo was absent, the measure failed to win a majority.

Mayor Scott McPherson and Councilwoman Marilynn deChant voted against the move; council members Rob Marlowe and Judy DeBella Thomas voted in support of it.

"I usually support these fees, even though I don't like them, but I just couldn't vote for this," deChant said. "I don't like the idea of us continuing to reach into citizens' pockets."

The outcome could have been different. Consalvo, who was out of town on vacation this week, had voiced his support for the proposed increases in a recent council workshop.

Figures provided by city staff indicate the cost to the average taxpayer would have been $31.83, or an estimated $5.76 more a year per household. That's up from $26.07 last year.

The city expected to generate $51,700 annually from the increased fees, which also are levied on road paving and stormwater treatment, and are tacked onto annual property tax bills.

Staff had said the increases were necessary to cover the cost of keeping the lights on.

In 2003, the city began assessing residents for streetlights after expenses started eating away at the general operating fund. Previously, the city paid the entire bill for lighting.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (727) 815-1082 or cwade@tampatrib.com.

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