Item A: GO Bond for Street Preservation

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extent that it is important to communicate benefits, the council and any citizen groups that come forward must carry those messages. Attachment F includes an updated Communications Plan related to transpor- tation funding. If the council refers the bond measure, portions of the Communications Plan would need to be put on hold until after the election. Election Requirements One of the topics that the council discussed at the June 9 meeting was whether the City should place a measure on the ballot this November or wait until a future election. Current state law requires that new or additional property taxes must be approved by a majority of the people voting in an election in November of an even-numbered year. In any other election, there must also be at least a 50% turnout of voters (the double-majority requirement). During the 2007 legislative session, HJR-15 was passed. That resolution places a measure on the state- wide November 2008 ballot that asks voters whether to change the double-majority requirement. If voters agree, this would allow a simple majority approval of tax measures at May or November elections in any year. Timing The council’s last opportunity to pass a resolution placing the measure on the ballot is August 5. July 28 is the scheduled date for council consideration of this resolution, which requires that the council provide final direction for changes to the resolution at today’s meeting in order to allow for adequate bond counsel review and approval of any changes. Once the council passes a resolution placing the measure on the ballot, the City Attorney will create a ballot title (caption, question and summary), which will be published in the Register-Guard. Citizens will have an opportunity to challenge the ballot language by filing a petition with the Lane County Circuit Court within seven business days of the date that the City Attorney files the ballot title with the City Recorder. RELATED CITY POLICIES The council’s goals for 2007 include “Transportation Initiative: Develop mechanisms to adequately fund our transportation system for cars, trucks, bikes and pedestrians including maintenance and preservation and capital reconstruction.” COUNCIL OPTIONS The policy issues before the council at this work session are: Project List: · A street preservation project list is provided as Attachment C. The council could modify the project list as deemed appropriate. Additional Projects: · The draft resolution assumes that the council would like to allow additions and deletions to the list of projects to be funded from bond proceeds, contingent upon council approval. The bond measure provision that allows for this to occur is shown in bold and italics in the resolution. Measure Size: · The council previously approved $6.5 million of annual spending, adjusted in subsequent years for inflation plus bond issuance costs, for a total measure of $81.1 million. The council could choose a different amount for the bond measure, such as adding funding for the City’s share of local assessment projects. Attachment G includes the effect on taxpayers for different bond amounts. Z:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080716\S080716A.doc