Laserfiche WebLink
Metadata
Document management portal powered by Laserfiche WebLink 9 © 1998-2015 Laserfiche. All rights reserved.
Ms. Ortiz remarked that a transportation funding bill was passed by the Washington State legislature and <br />then referred to the voters by unhappy taxpayers, so a State solution was not guaranteed. She said a sunset <br />provision required the council to discuss and reconfirm a tax. She applauded the citizens of Eugene because <br />using less gas meant people were changing their driving behavior and operating more fuel-efficient cars, not <br />going out of the area to buy fuel. She pointed out that the gas tax could be rescinded at any time the council <br />wished and if other funding became available she would support that. She was in favor of the second <br />option. <br /> <br />Mr. Pryor, seconded by Ms. Bettman, moved to direct the City Manager to go with <br />Option 2, an ordinance concerning motor vehicle fuel dealer's business license tax <br />as shown in Attachment A. <br /> <br />Mr. Lidz read the action section of the ordinance: Section 3 of Ordinance No. 20337 (the sunset provision) <br />adopted by the City Council on January 24, 2005, is hereby amended to read: "Unless otherwise extended <br />by the City Council, the amendment to Subsection (b) of Section 3.467 shall sunset on February 28, 2011, <br />and the tax will revert to three cents per gallon." <br /> <br />Mr. Zelenka said he was willing to compromise on a three-year extension, but the sunset should be linked to <br />solving the problem. He clarified that the council's action did not increase the tax; it maintained the status <br />quo. He stressed that if the sunset extension was placed on the ballot and defeated, that would mean a <br />reduction in the pothole fund and there would be consequences in terms of worsening street conditions. He <br />said that the Oregon Department of Transportation indicated that gas tax revenues were declining because <br />people were driving hybrid vehicles, driving smarter and using less gas and as Ms. Ortiz pointed out, that <br />trend was reflected locally. He said the extension would provide time for the legislature to act and for the <br />council to work on other funding options discussed by the subcommittee. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark said he would have a difficult time supporting the motion because voters had earned the right to <br />vote on the matter. <br /> <br />Mr. Poling said that Ms. Ortiz had persuaded him to support the motion. <br /> <br />The motion passed, 7:1; Mr. Clark voting in opposition. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy adjourned the work session and called the council into executive session at 7 p.m. <br /> <br /> <br />C. EXECUTIVE SESSION <br /> <br />Pursuant to Oregon Revised Statutes 199.660(2)(e), the City Council met in executive session. <br /> <br />Respectfully submitted, <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Angel Jones <br />City Manager pro tem <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 28, 2008 Page 8 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />