Mears Park holiday lights won't shine as bright

Plans for this year's holiday display at the St. Paul park call for small lights to be hung in trees around the park perimeter. But tight budgets are hindering the city's ability to pay for the traditional dazzling, decorative holiday light displays people are used to seeing, the Pioneer Press reports.

Officials say costs are rising and support from downtown businesses for lights are decreasing, the newspaper reports.

The city leaves the lighting decisions to the tourism group Visit St. Paul, which coordinates with W Marketing. That company has been left to allocate the city's flat holiday lighting budget in downtown, and make tough choices about where to cut corners, the newspaper reports.