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Bettman commented that services are more expensive in the rural areas and there would be non-conformity in the cities. Pryor stated this problem was not just the County's problem. He said it is everyone's problem. He said they have a jail that can't accommodate all of the criminals they do have. He said the dilemma for him is not an issue of being opposed to the idea; he said it is a matter of being skeptical with the idea. He said the County is asking cities to consider making a fundamental change in the core services the cities provide in the first place, which is public safety. He said the County is asking the city governments to look at making a fundamental change in what they had been for years believed was their core function. He wanted to make sure every option was considered before they continue :to go forward. Dwyer said Lane County is mandated to prosecute all the crimes in Lane County including cities' crimes even if they were to option out. He asked what other ideas they could come up with. Lisa Smith, Department of Youth Services, stated that the Department of Youth Services serves the entire community and they are the authorized provider of the services. She said they have had significant reductions ~ services and they lost the psychiatric hospital. She noted they have no sobering programs for youth in the community. She added the drag court is in peril and there are changes and reductions to the Oregon Health Plan. She stated their current prevention program, (which is best in the system) has been cut. She noted that for Youth Services this year they will have $1 million in reductions because of federal grant conclusions. She added in the last biennium they had a 50% reduction ~n secure custody beds and some of those were from the state. She stated that 250 beds were lost. She indicated when she came on board four years ago the cap was at 75 and today for Lane County it is 31. She explained that it wasn't because there wasn't a need it is because the state had a financial crisis. She said they lost half of their Pathways residents and all of their girl shelter programs. She commented that everything is interrelated when there are cuts. Kelly commented what is making this challenging is the intermixing of two different things. He said it would-be up to the voters to decide what they are willing to pay for services. He added itwas up to the elected officials to decide collectively what mechanism they would use to pay for the service district. He said they have to determine what is the best mechanism to collect the money. Bettman stated she supported all the services but she said they were discussing a land use issue to the Metro Plan and any other testimony is irrelevant to the criteria. She added the public hearing should be limited to the Metro Plan. She didn't know what other comp plans there were for other jurisdictions. She asked why Lane County hadn't gone out and gotten the approval of the cities so they could come to Eugene and Springfield. She said Page 6 - Joint Elected Officials Meeting - April 19, 2005 WD bc/m/05035/T