11/30/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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supports additional revenues and additional user fees to meet current needs. He favors implementing expenditure reductions before approving ignificant e new taxes. He would support a new tax if it would decrease property taxes or reduce the City's reliance on property taxes in the future and if the new tax is dedicated to capital projects. He said capital projects could be a library or things in the Economic Development Strategic Plan. I. Comments From Lay Budget Committee Members Ms. Eaton sa i d the 1 ay members of the Budget Commi ttee appreci ated the opportunity to observe the council's discussion. She said the lay members want to discuss their observations, so they will meet on December 10. She invited the councilors to observe that meeting. Mr. McLoud suggested the lay members of the Budget Committee undertake the process just completed by the council. He suggested council meetings be televised and said the public could learn much from televised meetings. He said it seemed all projects lIabove the linell will be funded and $50,000 for Laurelwood Golf Course is lIabove the line.1I He said he supports user fees. He noted that many of the programs "below the linell are operated by volunteers and said many programs above the line do not impact as many people as some programs below the line. Ms. Rich said she would like to consider specific terms for dedicated revenues after which they would go into the General Fund. She said it is esier to get the pub 1 i c to approve tax increases if the revenues are dedicated. She wondered why decreases in the central overhead costs were not discssed by the council. '_ Mr. Short said the process the council used is good. He said expenditure reduction is the first priority, in his opinion. He said he doesnot support one-time adjustments or reductions in the working capital that might affect other funds or the City's bond rating. He said councilors have shown wisdom during this process. Ms. Robinhold and Ms. Eaton said they agree with Mr. Short. Ms. Eaon said she would like more information about a restaurant tax and the costs of its administration. Responding to a question from Mayor Obi e, Mr. Gleason said the central overhead does not relate specifically to the General Fund of $60 million and the other funds totaling $60 million and some of the central overhad is fixed regardless of expenditure reductions. The staff had tried to include the overhead for specific programs in the cost estimates presented to the council. He said the expenditure reductions discussed by the council would have very little affect, perhaps two percent, on the central overhead cost. Mayor Obie said the council was considering a four-percent decrease in the General Fund and a two-percent overall decrease, which could result in some central overhead decrease. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 30, 1987 Page 9 I I