05/09/1983 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Planning Committee should be the group asked to examine and make recommendations on new revenues and resources. He raised the question of the impact of the 30-percent State property tax refund on a decision to fund the Hult Center out of the General Fund as opposed to funding through another new tax. Councilor Schue expressed appreciation for the work that the Mayor and councilors had done to date in developing recommendations regarding the Hu1t Center deficit. She felt that any proposed solution would need the support of council to be implemented. Ms. Schue stated that the council itself needed to discuss the center's financial picture and agree on the general parameters for a solution before asking some other group to work on the problem. Mayor Keller said that the council frequently asks commissions to review issues and make recommendations to the council, which then holds a public hearing and makes a final decision. He felt that since the Performing Arts Commission was closest to the issues involved, it was in the best position to develop a recom- mendation to the council. . Mr. Gleason noted that Councilor Obie had suggested that revenues now available from those items already cut from the budget, be used to cover the center's operating deficit, but Mr. Gleason pointed out that these funds were Federal Revenue Sharing funds, not from the General Fund. Councilor Hansen said that he shared Mr. Obie's opinion regarding use of revenue- sharing funds as a stop-gap for the Hult Center. He agreed with Ms. Schue that the council should reach consensus on the broad issues surrounding the center's budget before asking another group, such as the Performing Arts Commission, to come up with proposed solutions. Councilor Smith concurred that the council needed to discuss this before referring the matter to the commission. ~ Councilor Holmer said that Mayor Keller was asking the Performing Arts Commission to explore all the options in a public way and that the council should have confidence in the commission's ability to judge the feelings of the council and to weigh public opinion carefully. He felt that the commission had been appointed to carryon just such tasks as this. Councilor Lindberg did not feel there was consensus regarding the proposed use of revenue-sharing funds. He felt that the Performing Arts Commission would be able to generate new ideas and would recognize that there was concern on the council both with the use of revenue-sharing funds and with the introduction of new taxes. Councilor Ball said that he was happy to have the assistance of the Performing Arts Commission and felt they would show vigor and enthusiasm in the search for solutions to the center's budget problems. Councilor Obie suggested that the issue be set aside until the Budget Committee and City Council have completed their work on the budget for this year and the degree of the Hu1t Center budget problem is known. He said it appeared property taxes in the area would increase 12 percent. He felt that it was inappropriate to add new taxes on top of this increase. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 9, 1983 Page 2