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<br />~ on the effect of the capital cutbacks. Mr. Gleason said staff can <br />provide such a statement. <br /> <br />Mr. Bennett asked if there is any chance that the projected revenue <br />figures will be better than anticipated. Mr. Gleason said the restaurant <br />tax is extensive enough that implementation of a 5 percent tax would <br />solve the present problem as well as the library operation problem. He <br />said a restaurant tax has come to be more of an opportunity than he <br />originally thought. He added the tax would probably be easier to <br />implement if Lane County approves a real estate transfer tax. <br /> <br />Mayor Obie said he has difficulty supporting a real estate transfer tax <br />because it is not necessarily economically driven. <br /> <br />Mr. Rutan said there is no basis for a real estate transfer tax, and <br />added he agrees with Ms. Ehrman that it is another form of property tax. <br /> <br />Ms. Wooten said she supports an advisory vote on the restaurant tax. She <br />said the council should proceed as soon as possible on the matter. <br /> <br />Ms. Ehrman said she is in favor of the restaurant tax because it will <br />affect people from out of town as well as locals. <br /> <br />Mr. Bennett disagreed and said locals will be the primary group of people <br />affected by a restaurant tax. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Ms. Ehrman said she does not know of any other revenue sources that is as <br />viable an option as the restaurant tax. <br /> <br />Ms. Bascom said the restaurant tax advisory vote should be tied to the <br />library issue. <br /> <br />Mr. Holmer said he favors putting the issue to an advisory vote because <br />statistics show 65 percent of the population eat out. He said there is a <br />great deal of single-parent families who frequent restaurants for <br />convenience reasons, and who are not the ones the council should <br />necessarily be targeting. <br /> <br />Mr. Rutan said the council needs to discuss what the criteria should be <br />for judging a revenue source. He said the restaurant tax is the least <br />objectionable of all the alternatives. Although visitors will pay only a <br />small percentage of the tax, he said it is the most discretionary of the <br />options. <br /> <br />Mayor Obie summarized the comments thus far and said that unless there is <br />significant opposition, the council generally supports the City Manager's <br />proposal. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Mr. Holmer disagreed. He said the City Manager1s proposal allows the <br />council to later evaluate the issues through the budget process. <br />Mr. Bennett said it is important for the council to reach a consensus on <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council <br /> <br />February 1, 1988 <br /> <br />Page 11 <br />