WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Local governments say they're paying more to keep lights on, and those costs can ultimately fall back on taxpayers through municipal budgets.
Town officials in West Seneca say their annual electricity costs for streetlights have surged. According to the town, streetlight energy costs have increased by roughly $200,000 between 2020 and 2025.
The increase comes despite a major project to switch streetlights to energy-efficient LED lighting more than a decade ago.
West Seneca Town Supervisor Gary Dickson says the town is dealing with the same rising energy costs many residents are facing.
"Not only is everyone's residential electricity going up, but the town electricity has gone up too for our street lights, which is a substantial amount of money," Dickson said.
The town took out a $3.8 million bond in 2014 to convert more than 3,000 streetlights to LED fixtures. Taxpayers will continue paying off that debt through 2032.
WATCH: Rising energy costs hitting taxpayers twice in some Southtowns communities
The conversion project was originally expected to produce long-term savings. However, Dickson said rising electricity prices have largely wiped those benefits out.
"All of that savings has been eliminated by the increase," he said. "Almost double electricity cost in the last six or seven years."
West Seneca is not the only Southtowns community experiencing higher municipal energy costs. In Marilla, Town Supervisor Earl Gingerich Jr. said the town has also experienced noticeable increases in utility expenses.
"When the energy costs go up, something else has to give," Gingerich said. "So it may be tighter to run a certain program, or cut back in order to stay within our budget," he said.
Gingerich said Marilla has seen utility costs increase between 15 and 20% this year compared to last year.
"It's making our budgets tougher, just like with the average resident," he said. "What's driving some of the costs, particularly in a year like this, we haven't seen this cold weather in about 10 years."
Local leaders say when municipal energy costs rise, towns may have to adjust spending or find savings elsewhere in their budgets.
That means residents could feel the impact not only through their own utility bills, but also through the tax dollars that help fund local government services.
