After a three year study by Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje, on the energy saving use of LED lights, Ann Arbor announced that they would go forward with installing the LED Street lights. Not only does installing these LED lights save electricity but it also reduces the greenhouse gas emissions by 2,425 tons or in layman's terms it's like taking 400 cars off the road a year.

The City of Ann Arbor's mission statement is: The City of Ann Arbor is committed to providing excellent municipal services that enhance the quality of life for all through the intelligent use of resources while valuing an open environment that fosters, fair, sensitive and respectful treatment of all employees and the community we serve.

Other cities utilizing the LED lights are Raleigh, N.C and Toronto, Canada. The installment will begin next month and will take two years to complete the actual project. Wow, each LED light fixture lasts approximately 10 years and will replace the normal 120- watt bulbs that lasts only 2 years.

If your wondering if you will be taxed on this great new perk for our city, the answer is NO.

The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority gave the City of Ann Arbor a grant for $630,000 to fund the installation and conversion to the LED lights.

The City of Ann Arbor will save over $100,000 per year. But, the greatest news of all is the saving of our environment.

My congratulations to Mayor John Hieftje, whom is also a licensed Realtor in the Ann Arbor Board of Realtors, for once again being a visionary to Ann Arbor.

John is a staunch enviromentalist who has championed many projects to save the enviroment in Ann Arbor.