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<br /> City departments should not provide the debt service for the airport <br /> expansion. <br /> e Dick Briggs, 80 West 23rd Avenue, said Eugene citizens are being asked to pay <br /> about $6 million of an $18 million project to expand the airport. He said the <br /> airport is regional, everyone uses it, and the expansion should be approved. <br /> Glenn E. Rabenold, 2990 Friendly, said he opposes the expansion of the <br /> airport. He is concerned about the type of businesses that might be attracted <br /> to Eugene if the airport is expanded. He said the livability of Eugene will <br /> suffer if large businesses are attracted here. He said bureaucratic costs of <br /> local government could provide funds for the airport expansion. He sa i d sma 11 <br /> businesses are good risks for investment and building a community on small, <br /> neighborhood-based businesses is in the best interests of the citizens. He <br /> said the city is growing too fast and people need to know where the money is <br /> going. <br /> Svend Toftemark, 2060 Broadview, thanked the councilors for the time they <br /> spend on City business. He said he favors the expansion of the airport but he <br /> thinks it should be postponed until people in Springfield and Lane County <br /> outside of Eugene agree to share equally in the expansion1s cost because they <br /> will benefit from it. <br /> Frank Bonson, Box 944, sa i d he opposes spending money on the airport <br /> expansion. He read from a Letter to the Editor that appeared in The Register- <br /> Guard in May 1986 in which he stated that 90 percent of the peop 1 e he <br /> . interviewed do not favor spending tax money on the airport. He said Salem has <br /> one airline fl i ght a day but its business and tourism are better than <br /> e Eugene1s. He asked what studies indicate a need for the airport expansion. <br /> Mr. Bonson said there are many foreclosures on homes and bankruptcies in <br /> Eugene because of increased taxes. He said crime is increasing and there are <br /> jail, transient, and unemployement problems. He said citizens and the City <br /> should live within a budget. <br /> Don Norris, 1984 Kimberly, said he is a real estate consultant. He said he <br /> has gone to Portland six times in the last three weeks to pick up clients <br /> because their planes could not land in Eugene or because the clients could not <br /> afford to fly into Eugene. He emphasized that Eugene loses money when people <br /> land in Portland. He said many people judge Eugene by its airport and decide <br /> that Eugene ;s not adequate for their business. He said passengers boarding <br /> planes at the airport have increased 65 percent this year and the increased <br /> revenue will pay for the airport expansion. <br /> Mr. Norris said approval of the airport expansion will create a better work <br /> environment in the community and increased jobs will increase the City's funds <br /> for such things as the library and swimming pools. <br /> Gary Kutcher, 2638 Hawkins Lane, said he opposes the airport expansion. He <br /> said there has been no citizen participation during consideration of the <br /> airport expansion although the cost of the expansion is great. He said the <br /> City has spent much money on the project and intends to spend more before the <br /> March vote even though there has been no citizen participation. <br /> e MINUTES--Eugene City Council December 15, 1986 Page 3 <br />