FAQs

What is the street light utility assessment?: At its July 26, 2016 meeting, City Council approved a new street light utility charge to be billed on the customer’s monthly utility bill and eliminated the property tax assessment program for those same costs. The street light utility was put into place for residential and business properties to recover the cost of street lights. Annually, the City has levied those costs to each real estate parcel based on the frontage of an individual property. The street light utility was previously assessed on the property taxes and, after the meeting in 2016, was moved from the property tax bills to the monthly utility bills.

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Utility Billing - Street Light Utility Assessment

1. What is the street light utility assessment?: At its July 26, 2016 meeting, City Council approved a new street light utility charge to be billed on the customer’s monthly utility bill and eliminated the property tax assessment program for those same costs. The street light utility was put into place for residential and business properties to recover the cost of street lights. Annually, the City has levied those costs to each real estate parcel based on the frontage of an individual property. The street light utility was previously assessed on the property taxes and, after the meeting in 2016, was moved from the property tax bills to the monthly utility bills.

2. Why is the City utilizing a street light assessment?: The street light assessment is based on the overall equal benefit of public safety and security that is provided to the residents and businesses.

3. Who is being assessed for the street lights?: All parcels and utility accounts are charged the street light utility assessment.

4. How is the street light assessment calculated?: In order to determine the monthly street light utility charge, the total street light costs for the prior calendar year is divided by the number of utility accounts billed by the City. Unless otherwise billed by individual units, multiple unit dwellings will be competed and billed by the aggregation of each of the single-family equivalents. For example, a four-unit apartment building which is billed a single billing for the entire dwelling would be billed at the sum of four separate units. Therefore, the monthly bill would be $7.72 (4 x $1.93 a month/unit).r separate units. Therefore, the monthly bill would be $7.72 (4 x $1.93 a month/unit).

5. How long will the street light assessment last?: This is an ongoing charge that will be adjusted every subsequent year based on the prior calendar year cost to the City as charged by Duke Energy.

6. How am I charged for the street light assessment?: The customer is charged each month on the utility bill.

7. How does the street light assessment benefit me?: The assessment provides a standardized public street lighting system citywide that will promote safety and security in our neighborhoods, business districts, and across the roadways.