Forbes. I’ve always thought of it as a magazine for the rich, by the rich. But in these tough economic times, even the high-flying publication has to come down to earth, reporting on the difficult task American cities are facing when it comes to balancing the budget. Luckily, many of those cities are finding refuge from skyrocketing costs in LED lighting. Forbes writes that when fighting the battle of the budget, “cities have several options, none appealing: raise taxes or fees, cut staff or services, or slash expenses. On this last measure, however, cities across California are realizing that one expense is entirely within their control – their electricity bill.”

Specifically, Forbes lists 10 smart cities in California that have begun saving significant amounts of electricity and money by switching inefficient high-pressure sodium (HPS) or high-intensity discharge streetlights with LED light bars. That’s because streetlights equipped with waterproof LED lights consume 50 to 80 percent less electricity than conventional lighting mechanisms, and can eliminate maintenance costs for up to 20 years, according to The Sustainable City Network.

One problem many cities face when considering this model, however, is the upfront expense of installing the LED lights. But it turns out that every city on the Forbes list was able to undertake its LED retrofit project with funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). “The program has provided more than $35 million in direct payments to small California cities and counties to fund energy upgrades. The CEC estimates that every $1 of ARRA dollars invested in public sector building retrofits has returned $3 in additional economic output,” according to Forbes.

To find out if you’re living in one of these 10 smart cities, click here to read the whole Forbes article. And if you find out you’re not, consider writing to your mayor about the possibility of an LED lighting retrofit in your own town. You could end up saving your city—and the jobs that still exist within it.

Image via Wired