Here's a little information about "Earth Hour" where people agreed to switch off their lights for one full hour in a bid to help the fight against global warming.

Sydney was the first major city to begin "Earth Hour", when in 2007 the lights went out across the city, including landmarks like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. With approx. 2 million residents taking part, it was estimated that energy usage was decreased by more than 10% in that one hour, and in Bangkok this year, 73.34 megawatts of electricity which would have produced 45.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide, was saved.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7319929.stm

This year more than 50 million people around the world, in more than 35 countries across seven continents, including Antarctica, and across more than 18 different time zones turned off their lights for "Earth Hour". http://www.earthhour.org/

I'm thinking that people in positions like Mayors and Senators are often more easily swayed towards new ideas if they think they're saving money.

Maybe you could present a proposal based on the pinciples of Earth Hour. I'd suggest that you do a little research as to the amount of energy that would be saved using figures already estimated by other areas across the world that participated in Earth hour. The Energy savings could then be converted to $$ saved for your council, county or municipality. Empty buildings don't need light, but I'm sure you'll see many hundreds, or even thousands, of empty buildings lit up like lighthouses at night.

With a proposal such as this which covers energy saved, monetary savings, and benefits to the environment, not forgetting the benefits to the family structure, hopefully your Mayor might look favourably towards it.