Item 2D - 2005 Leg.Policies Doc - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I. Executive Summary To assist lawmakers in understanding the broad array of issue areas which can directly affect the City of Eugene, this legislative policy overview provides an issue-by-issue resource. In 2005, the City of Eugene has highlighted three broad themes in evaluating legislation: Ensuring REVENUE for Needed Services The City of Eugene urges the State Legislature to responsibly address state revenue shortfalls to fund K-12 public education and critical state services and to preserve revenue sharing with cities and counties. The City of Eugene strongly supports the ongoing work of transportation funding packages that establish local system maintenance, preservation and operation as a priority and the City strongly opposes any attempt to limit local option street funding alternatives including local fuel taxes and transportation system maintenance fees. The City of Eugene strongly supports equitable distribution of a reauthorized 9-1-1 telephone excise tax. This important user fee provides revenue for emergency call taking for 39 police, fire and emergency medical services in Central Lane County. The City opposes attempts to exempt "intangibles"from taxes or other reductions to the fixed property tax revenues which the City relies upon under Measure 5. Public rights-of-way are a valuable public asset. The City strongly supports protection of local governments' authority to manage these public assets in behalf of their taxpayers and receive adequate compensation for their use. The City supports efforts to uphold PEPS reforms and mitigate volatile rate increases to public employers, in a fashion that upholds a fair and adequate retirement for public employees. Preserving HOME RULE and Local Flexibility The City will strongly oppose attempts to repeal smoking bans, such as that adopted by the Eugene City Council in November, 2000. The City will oppose attempts to repeal Eugene's Toxics Right-to-Know program and oppose toxic statutes unfair to small businesses. The City strongly supports protecting the home rule authority of local government to charge franchise fees for use of its rights-of-way used by telecommunication companies. City of Eugene Legislative Policies, 2005 Session 2