Olympia Turns Off the Streetlights to Save $500 a Month
Facing a budget squeeze, Olympia’s city council voted to darken the streets and save $500 a month. Public-spirited citizens organized a private subscription to keep the lights burning rather than let the city go totally dark.
Olympia, Jan. 10.—Special.—The city council decided at its meeting last night to cut off the street lights, thus making a saving of $500 per month. Public-spirited citizens have resolved to district the city and maintain lights by private subscription rather than throw the corporation into total darkness.
“Public-spirited citizens have resolved to district the city and maintain lights by private subscription rather than throw the corporation into total darkness.”
In 1901, Olympia’s council chose darkness over deficit—a small-scale version of today’s municipal budget fights over essential services. The citizens’ private subscription prefigures modern public-private partnerships and crowdfunding for civic amenities.
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