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<br />M I N U T E S <br /> <br /> <br />Eugene City Council <br />Work Session <br />McNutt Room—Eugene City Hall <br /> <br /> April 12, 2006 <br /> Noon <br /> <br />COUNCILORS PRESENT: Jennifer Solomon, Andrea Ortiz, David Kelly, Betty Taylor, Gary Papé, <br />Bonny Bettman, George Poling, Chris Pryor. <br /> <br /> <br />Her Honor Mayor Kitty Piercy called the meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. <br /> <br /> <br />A. WORK SESSION: Renewal of Library Local Option Levy <br /> <br />City Manager Taylor reminded the council that it discussed the issue of what measures to place on a future <br />ballot several times in the recent past. Today the council would discuss the possible renewal of the Library <br />Local Option Levy. Library Services Manager Connie Bennett was present for the item. <br /> <br />Ms. Bennett said the Library Advisory Board, a department advisory committee that had met for over a <br />year, formulated the recommendations before the council. Several members of the board were present in the <br />audience. Ms. Bennett briefly noted the effect of the proposal, which included a shift of $700,000 to the <br />General Fund, allowing for a reduction in the amount levied. She invited questions. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy solicited council comments. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly thanked staff and members of the board. He regretted the use of a local option levy to fund <br />library operations but believed it was necessary until more comprehensive tax reform occurred. He asked <br />what made the reduction possible and if it was related to the upcoming 2008 budget. City Manager Taylor <br />said the funds that allowed the City to make the annualized commitments at the level proposed were due to <br />the work of the Budget Committee over several years. He also attributed the reduction to the PERS reforms <br />sustained by the courts, as those funds then became predictable, ongoing revenues. Overall, in terms of the <br />budget, property tax payments were strong, and the litigation regarding the Qwest lawsuit had been resolved <br />in the City’s favor, bringing in new revenues. He confirmed, in response to a question from Mr. Kelly, that <br />the $700,000 figure was the result of financial analysis performed by staff, and it could be revised by the <br />committee, depending on what happened with other council priorities and ongoing program costs. <br /> <br />Mr. Pryor shared Mr. Kelly’s concerns about the use of the local option levy and said his preference was to <br />include the cost of operating the library in the General Fund. He believed that was the council’s ultimate <br />goal, and the renewal of the levy would likely be the last such measure offered the voters regarding library <br />operations. If the levy was needed as a bridge, he thought it reasonable if the goal was kept in mind. <br /> <br />City Manager Taylor said he hoped the City could find the $5.2 million in annualized revenue needed to <br />support the library in the General Fund, but he applauded the community’s wisdom in getting the branches <br />started and building the new library. He noted the high use the service enjoyed. He also hoped the levy was <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 12, 2006 Page 1 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />