02/24/1986 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e Answering a question from Ms. Wooten, Mr. Farkas said the Development Department has 39.7 full-time employees. About 10 full-time positions are funded with CDSG funds which are split amond 15 or 16 employees. The greatest impact of the proposed 20 percent deferrals would be in the department's ability to deliver programs. Ms. Cherry added that the City's two loan programs cannot end if CDSG funds are reduced because loan repayments will continue to come in; consequently, City staff paid with other funds would have to administer those programs. Mr. Miller is a member of the Community Development Committee. He said the COSG program is vital and important. He said the COSG program is a locally controlled one which provides services that cannot be provided in other ways. He said the proposed COSG deferrals could be taken out of the military budget without hurting it. He said Eugene and many other cities cannot qualify for Urban Development Action Grants (UDAG) funds now, but they can still qualify for COSG funds. He hoped the Federal budget would not be balanced on the backs of the poor. He said the COSG funds come from local citizens, but there is no proposal to return the deferrals to the local jurisdictions for distribution. Mr. Rutan said no one questions that COSG funds have been administered well in Eugene and the City would like to continue receiving them; but the limited time City Councilors have to address the congressional delegation and the City's limited resources in Washington, O.C. should be used as effectively as possible. He said City Councilors should lobby for projects which directly affect Eugene. He suggested Eugene officials indicate that the retention of COSG funds is a national problem and suggest alternatives to the congressional delegation. Ms. Ehrman said City officials should indicate that deferrals in COSG funds will hurt the City badly. She said the City is losing Federal Revenue Sharing funds, and City representatives should indicate the true situation to congressional delegates. She said maintaining COSG funding should be a top priority for the City and lobbying for it can be done constructively. Ms. Schue agreed with Ms. Ehrman. She said the majority of the subcommittee members recommended that the COSG funds be a top priority of the City. She emphasized that the City has lost Revenue Sharing Funds. She said the COSG program meets the special needs of people with low and moderate incomes. She said City officials should make it clear to congressional representatives that the program is valuable and the City would like to see as much of it preserved as possible. Answering questions from Mr. Hansen, Mr. Farkas said a combination of the deferrals and Gramm-Rudman-Hollings cuts would reduce the COSG funds the City receives to about $650,000 and reduce the programs about 50 percent. Ms. Cherry said some congressional caucuses which will not support the reauthorization of revenue Sharing will support maintaining the COSG program. She emphasized that the COSG program will be considered in the next three or four months. MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 24, 1986 Page 7