• How are the Street Light Maintenance Districts (SLD) funded?
• How are the Street Light Maintenance Districts funded?
• If I have more questions about the maintenance in my Street Light Maintenance District (SLD), who do I contact?
• What are Street Light Maintenance Districts (SLDs) and how many are located in the City?
• What does my Street Light Maintenance District assessment cover?
• What is a Street Light Maintenance District (SLD)?
• What is Proposition 218 and why does it impact SLDs?
• Who Performs the Maintenance With the Street Light Maintenance Districts?

How are the Street Light Maintenance Districts (SLD) funded?
The SLD's are governed by the legal requirements of Proposition 218 (Article XIIID of the California Constitution) and the provisions of the 1972 Act. Every year, the City, in its role administering each of the SLD's levies an assessment on each parcel within each SLD, in accordance with existing law, based upon the special benefit that each such parcel receives from the improvements to be maintained from the proceeds of such assessments. The revenues collected for each SLD are intended for use within the boundaries of the SLD from which it was collected.

Ever since Proposition 218 was approved by the voters in 1996, increased assessment rates cannot be levied without submitting the proposed increases to the property owners within the affected SLD in an assessment ballot procedure. Except for those few SLD's whose assessment language provides for a consumer price index escalator, most of the SLD's in the City have not had their rates increased since 1993, several years prior to Proposition 218.

How are the Street Light Maintenance Districts funded?
The SLD's are governed by the legal requirements of Proposition 218 (Article XIIID of the California Constitution) and the provisions of the 1972 Act. Every year, the City, in its role administering each of the SLD's levies an assessment on each parcel within each SLD, in accordance with existing law, based upon the special benefit that each such parcel receives from the improvements to be maintained from the proceeds of such assessments. The revenues collected for each SLD are intended for use within the boundaries of the SLD from which it was collected.

Ever since Proposition 218 was approved by the voters in 1996, increased assessment rates cannot be levied without submitting the proposed increases to the property owners within the affected SLD in an assessment ballot procedure. Except for those few SLD's whose assessment language provides for a consumer price index escalator, most of the SLD's in the City have not had their rates increased since 1993, several years prior to Proposition 218.

If I have more questions about the maintenance in my Street Light Maintenance District (SLD), who do I contact?
The GIS/Special Districts Division serves as a liaison between Southern California Edison and our residents concerning street light outages.

You should contact the Special Districts Division at (909) 477-2700.  Check on the link below for the City's hours of operation.


City Hall Hours of Operation

What are Street Light Maintenance Districts (SLDs) and how many are located in the City?
A SLD is not a separate entity of the City.  It is a financing vehicle by which an area in the City is identified to especially benefit by certain improvements, such as street lights and traffic signals.  Due to this benefit, landowners in the identified area are assessed to pay the costs of the construction and/or ongoing maintenance of such improvements. 

Each SLD is created through formation proceedings (also known as a vote of the affected property owners) pursuant to the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 (the "1972 Act").  This usually occurs at the time a residential or commercial project is first developed.  The "1972 Act" allows a local agency (such as the City of Rancho Cucamonga) to levy an annual assessment for the maintenance of the community improvements, based on special benefit directly or indirectly, to the property owners within the SLD.  Annual assessments are paid as part of a line-item on individual property tax bills.

The City has eight (8) different Street Light Maintenance Districts. 

What does my Street Light Maintenance District assessment cover?
Depending upon the improvements within a particular SLD, assessments will pay for the maintenance and electricity costs for street lights and traffic signals and, a portion of City staff salaries/benefits (admin & field staff).

 

What is a Street Light Maintenance District (SLD)?
The City's eight Street Light Maintenance Districts (SLD) were established in the 1980s and early 1990s as the way to pay for the ongoing street light and traffic signal maintenance and the establishment of a dedicated source of funds for the street lights and traffic signals, thereby allowing the City to focus its limited General Fund monies on public safety, community services and other citywide public services.

A SLD is not a separate entity but a financing vehicle by which territory, as determined by the legislative body, specially benefited by certain improvements such as street lights and traffic signals, are assessed to pay the costs of the construction and/or maintenance of such improvements.

Each SLD is created through formation proceedings (also known as a vote of the affected property owners) undertaken by the legislative body pursuant to the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 (the "1972 Act"), usually at the time a residential or commercial project is first developed, to allow the local agency to levy an annual assessment for the maintenance of the community improvements, based on special benefit directly or indirectly, to the parcels within the SLD. Annual assessments are paid as part of a line-item on individual property tax bills.

What is Proposition 218 and why does it impact SLDs?
Proposition 218 is the “Right to Vote on Taxes Act” passed by California voters in November 1996. It impacts the SLDs because the City cannot increase assessment rates for SLDs without submitting the proposed increase in assessments to the owners of property within the SLD to permit such owners to express their support for, or opposition to, the proposed increase in the assessments applicable to their properties. To read more about Proposition 218 click here.

Who Performs the Maintenance With the Street Light Maintenance Districts?
Southern California Edison (SCE) owns and maintains the street lights. The GIS/Special Districts Division has a Street Light Repair page where residents can get instructions on how to contact SCE about a street light outage.