Item B: City Response to Lane County Budget Crisis

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: City Response to Lane County Budget Crisis Meeting Date: May 12, 2008 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Eugene Police Staff Contact: Chief Robert Lehner www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: (541) 682-5102 ISSUE STATEMENT This is a work session to discuss the City of Eugene’s response to FY09 budget cuts at Lane County. A number of service reductions and program eliminations critical to the health and safety of Eugene residents are included in the reductions at Lane County. This work session will provide an opportunity to discuss the impact of those cuts and the funding needed to continue critical services in Eugene, if the council chooses to provide these services. BACKGROUND Councilor Clark requested a work session to discuss the City’s response to the Lane County budget cuts that will directly impact city services. Although the complete list of service reductions in the FY09 Lane County budget is of serious concern to all residents, this discussion is focused on the impact of the most significant and immediate public safety and human service impacts of Lane County budget cuts on Eugene. Eugene cannot replace or solve all of the County’s funding issues, nor can the City simply replace complex, interwoven service systems with a quick fix. There are, however, several actions possible to substantially reduce immediate threats to the City. The Joint Elected Officials (JEO) of Eugene, Lane County, and Springfield met earlier this year and developed three priorities for future discussion: (1) Public Safety, (2) Transportation, and (3) Land Use. For public safety, the JEO recognized the system is severely stressed and discussed the potential impacts of further reductions to the residents of Lane County, including its incorporated cities. Recognizing a long-term solution was required, the JEO commissioned a group consisting of the chief elected officials, the chief administrative officials, and public safety chiefs of each jurisdiction to meet to develop possible longer term solutions to address these issues. The Lane County Administrator has released his recommended budget which is now being discussed by Lane County’s Budget Committee and the Lane County Board of Supervisors. The loss of Federal Secure Rural School (SRS) funds amounts to approximately $47 million, ($20 million general fund, $20 road fund, and $7 million to schools). The bulk of the County’s general fund is allocated to various public safety functions and, as a result, the combined loss of that portion of the SRS funds and other losses dramatically impacts public safety and human services to Lane County, including the City of Eugene. Y:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080512\S080512B.doc