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Mark Callahan, 3621 Mahlon Street, a parent, opposed the proposed income tax as an attempt to redistribute wealth and as a direct attack on the middle class. He suggested the tax was targeted at those making more than $50,000 in an attempt to make it easier to pass, which he termed class warfare. He also believed the tax would drive residents and businesses out of Eugene. Steve Wilson, no address given, criticized the quality of Councilor Farr's analogies, suggested he had benefited from a good economy during his earlier service on the council, and offered him four recommendations: 1) change the City Code so that the funding allocated for public art associated with public projects could be directed to the school districts instead for a five -year period; 2) bring the Lane County Fair to the Bethel neighborhood; 3) ensure the improvements promised for Golden Garden Park came to fruition; and 4) create a partnership between Willamette High School and Saturday Market. He also urged Councilor Farr to work harder. Tom Bascom, no address given, advocated for a City income tax to fund schools. He said he had brought his two children with him to show them democracy in action and that it was possible for committed citizens to effect change. He noted the growth of the River Bend hospital campus and the need to recruit highly qualified doctors to staff it, and the interest of those individuals in a quality school system for their children. Hillary Johnson, no address given, representing Stand for Children, supported a City income tax to fund schools. She asked the council to place the measure on the May 2011 ballot to avoid drastic budget reductions that would result in increased class sizes and teacher layoffs. She noted that polls commissioned by her organization indicated that 55 percent of likely voters supported such a tax, particularly if it avoided teacher layoffs, and suggested the council take advantage of that community support and volunteer motivation and place the measure on the May ballot. Bob White, 675 River Road, said statements made by the mayor suggested to him that the council believed it was the responsibility of the working community and taxpaying citizens to give up their property for the use of a select group of people, i.e., bus riders. He said the lower portion of River Road had been rezoned to mixed -use, prohibiting the growth of his business because it was an auto - related business. He said the River Road Community Organization was aesthetically opposed to cars. He said other residents did not know what was going on because they were working and caring for their families. He believed that common sense eluded members of the organization as well as some councilors. Mr. White recalled that the council had killed the parkway project, which was twice approved by the voters, and changed the name of Centennial Boulevard to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard because of minority pressure. He believed that Dr. King was a great man and should have been honored by having a street named for him, but it should have been a new street, not an existing one where the change cost business owners money. He said that downtown Eugene had been destroyed by the council's visions of future but it still needed to be fixed. Now the council proposed to "save the world" through the ErnX system but the community could not pay for schools, public safety, or to fix the roads. Bob Macherione, 1994 Brown Drive, wanted all children educated because "dumb kids turned into stupid adults." He asked why $50,000 was picked as the cut -off for the proposed tax. He pointed out that residents who made less than $50,000 also had children and questioned why the tax was not more equitable. He suggested that those making more than $50,000 could afford to move elsewhere, which could have a negative impact on desirable things such as the local arts. Mr. Macherione reported that a West 11` Avenue business owner had recently remarked that the Envision Eugene process had envisioned him and his 50 employees gone. MINUTES— Eugene City Council February 14, 2010 Page 2 Regular Meeting