LeCLAIRE, Iowa - A suggestion to save about $2,736 annually by turning off some of the period lighting in downtown LeClaire is being met with resistance.

Residents and downtown business owners fear shutting off an undetermined number of lights will cast a negative glow over the downtown's appearance and raise potential safety issues.

Mike Wolfe, a downtown business owner and resident, questioned why the city would even consider following through on the proposal.

"Come on, $2,700? It's about making the correct, right decisions. The priorities. The only thing we have going for us, guys, is tourism. That's it," Wolfe said.

If the city proceeds with the idea, he wants a lumination study done by an engineering firm to determine the effects on safety and tourism.

Motorists traveling on U.S. 67 are greeted with a path of light along the Cody Road historic district. The antique-style light poles were installed as part of the city's $3.2 million downtown revitalization project in 2007.

"I like the look of the lights downtown. I think it gives a warm welcome to people coming downtown, council member Bruce Richardson said.

"It's an idea I brought up. You can work on it or not," council member Ron Leiby said. He said he'll keep making suggestions on ways to save taxpayer dollars.

The city continues to face a tough budget. The budget for the new fiscal year beginning July 1 shows $9,052,069 in revenues and $8,903,575 in expenditures after city department heads went through several rounds of cuts to hold down expenditures.

Mayor Robert Scannell says the issue isn't about the city's ability to pay its utility bills. "We can afford to pay the light bill. We will be paying the light bill," he said as the discussion heated up.

The city has 68 lights at 150 watts each located between May and Ewing streets. "The amount of lighting down there now exceeds the minimum standards required (by various standards)," City Administrator Edwin Choate said.

"Again, I applaud the idea of saving money. I'm not sure if that's one of the areas where it would be prudent to cut back," Randy Wehrman, a LeClaire businessman, said.

The discussion wrapped up with Scannell recommending that Choate look into the cost of having a professional study done to show potential effects of keeping all the lights on or adjusting the numbers being lighted to save money.