04/26/1984 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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M I NUT E S - Eugene City Council Work Session McNutt Room e April 26, 1984 5:30 p.m. PRESENT: Mayor Gus Keller, Brian Obie, Emily Schue, John Ball, Richard Hansen, Freeman Holmer, Cynthia Wooten, Betty Smith (5:55-7:40), councilors; Mike Gleason, City Manager; Dave Whitlow, Assistant City Manager; Gary Long, Director of Administrative Services Department; Warren Wong, Finance Director; Pat Lynch, Council Administrator; Bob Deis, Marilynne Musso, Carol Calkins, Finance Department; Susy Wagner, Risk Management Manager. Mr. Keller called the meeting to order. I. STATUS OF SPRINGFIELD'S REVENUE TAX PROPOSALS e Mr. Long reported that the Springfield City Council was still considering the possibility of putting a gas tax measure on the ballot in June. If the measure was put on the ballot in Springfield, it would be contingent upon passage of a similar measure in Eugene. The tax would be three cents a gallon, and it would be levied against wholesalers. It would be a business occupation tax. May 23 is the last day such a measure could be put on the June ballot. e Councilors and staff discussed the gas tax for some time. It could be put on the ballot so that the City councils of Eugene and Springfield could each decide whether to levy the tax if it passed. More people would be voting in November than in June; consequently, if the City wanted public involvement, it might be better to have the measure on the November ballot. It was important to indicate to the Springfield City Council where the Eugene City Council stood on the matter. Eugene could indicate it would put a measure on the ballot if the measure had previously won in Springfield, or Eugene could indicate it will put the measure on the ballot when Springfield does, or Eugene could indicate it is not at all interested in the matter. It is important for Eugene to know what it would accomplish with a gasoline tax. The Eugene tax should be similar to the Springfield tax if they are levied. - The current State Gas Tax generates $1.4 million annually, and current expenses for road/street operations and maintenance are about $5 million annually. Grants provide most of the money used for street development. Councilors discussed how gas tax revenues might be used and their effect on the general fund. For example, it could be used to finish the Chambers overpass, do design work on the Ferry Street Bridge, or maintain the city streets. Some councilors thought there had been an agreement to ask the voters for additional sources of revenue if the Hult Center deficit affected - MINUTES--Council Revenue Work Session April 26, 1984 Page 1