CC Minutes - 01/14/08 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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The motion to adopt Resolution 4924, a resolution to acknowledge receipt of the City of Eugene Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2007, passed unanimously, 8:0. Mayor Piercy adjourned the meeting of the Eugene City Council and convened a meeting of the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency at 8:34 p.m. 5. ACTION: Resolution 1046 Acknowledging Receipt of the Annual Financial Report of the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene, Oregon, for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2007 Councilor Pryor, seconded by Councilor Bettman, moved to adopt Resolution 1046 ac- knowledging receipt of the Annual Financial Report of the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene, Oregon, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0. Mayor Piercy adjourned the meeting of the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency and reconvened the meeting of the Eugene City Council at 8:35 p.m. 6. PUBLIC HEARING: An Ordinance Concerning Motor Vehicle Fuel Dealer’s Business License Tax and Repealing Section 3 of Ordinance No. 20337 Ms. Jones asked Director of the Public Works Department, Kurt Corey, to introduce the item. Mr. Corey explained that the hearing sought to solicit public input on whether or not to maintain the status quo with regard to the Eugene gas tax, presently set at 5 cents per gallon. He reviewed the timeline to present; the first 3 cent component of the gas tax was implemented in January, 2003, and an additional 2 cents was added in January, 2005, the latter planned to sunset after three years. He underscored that the backlog of street maintenance was now in excess of $170 million. He said after three years there were no additional state, county, or regional solutions at this point. He noted that the committee convened by the Mayor had confirmed that a gas tax was a fair and equitable component of a comprehensive package of funding solutions. He stated that action on this item was scheduled for January 28. He listed the potential actions the council could take, which ranged from reinstituting the gas tax to taking no action with the 2 cent component subsequently sunsetting. Mayor Piercy opened the public hearing. William Ivanoff , 1810 Harris Street, #336, noted that fuel stations had indicated a move to rid the City of the tax. He believed the City should save legal and ballot costs by repealing the tax when it sunsets. He averred that automobiles were becoming more fuel-efficient while the wear and tear of the streets increased. He said every time the City annexed more lane miles for public use the maintenance costs for the City increased while funds did not increase commensurately. He asked if the City Council was willing to “starve” the rest of the City to insure that the people who lived on the edges of the City or outside of it could drive on smooth roads. He asserted that the only people who used roads on the outsides of the City were the MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 14, 2008 Page 7 Regular Meeting