Item 2: PH on Ordinance Concerning Transportation System Maintenance Fees

Home Browse Search

ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Public Hearing: An Ordinance Concerning Transportation System Maintenance Fees and Adding Sections 7.750 through 7.790 to the Eugene Code, 1971 Meeting Date: October 16, 2006 Agenda Item Number: 2 Department: Public Works Staff Contact: Kurt Corey www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5241 ISSUE STATEMENT This is a public hearing scheduled at City Council direction to receive public comments on an ordinance to amend the Eugene City Code and to establish a transportation system maintenance fee for the purpose of providing stable and adequate funding to operate, maintain, preserve and improve the city’s transportation system. BACKGROUND In a work session on July 24, 2006, the council reviewed a draft ordinance establishing a transportation system maintenance fee (TSMF) and directed staff to proceed with a public outreach and education effort and to schedule a public hearing in October on the proposed TSMF. On February 27, 2006, the council reviewed and discussed a number of potential revenue strategies to address unmet transportation system funding needs. At that session, the council directed the City Manager to bring back a proposal for reestablishing the previously repealed transportation system maintenance fee (TSMF) to address not only the projected ongoing operating deficits in Road Fund street operations and maintenance, but also to generate additional revenue to address the remaining annual funding gaps in the pavement and off-street bike path preservation programs. On September 26, 2005, the council reviewed and discussed the financial status and fund forecast for Eugene’s Road Fund. Based on that discussion, the council directed the City Manager to develop a FY07 Road Fund budget at the current service level and to bring back a proposal for a new revenue funding package which would not only address the projected ongoing operating deficit in street operations and maintenance but would also generate additional revenue to be dedicated to the backlog of unfunded projects in the pavement preservation program. Public Outreach and Education Effort Public outreach and education has proceeded generally along the lines of the plan included as Attachment B to the July 24, 2006, agenda item summary. A six-minute video was produced by Metro TV and has run numerous times on Metro TV (Comcast cable channel 21). A four-page newsletter was widely distributed to Eugene homes and businesses as inserts to The Register-Guard and Eugene Weekly. A web site was created to provide information and offer an opportunity for residents to submit L:\CMO\2006 Council Agendas\M061016\S0610162.doc