10/24/1983 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Mr. Lindberg asked if user fees as a revenue source had been used up. Mr. Long answered that $300,000 to $500,000 might be realized, but not a significant amount. Members discussed the agenda for the sales tax plan referred to the City Council November 9 for a public hearing. If a City tax issue were referred to the voters, it would have to be in March or May for a replacement to the Eugene Plan which expires in June. A tax-base election can be held only during a primary or general el ection (May). Ms. Schue pointed out that the reason for the Eugene Plan was the no-longer-relevant State-30 percent-property-tax relief plan. Mr. Lindberg asked for a staff recommendation on the service package outlined in the distributed material. Mr. Long said a recommendation would grow out of political and financial considerations. Consensus of the City Council was needed in defining the problem or service level before continuing the search for a solution or revenue source. Ms. Schue referred to the FPC recommendation of a service level second from the highest service level (orange) which would be higher than the present service 1 evel . This service level would result in a revenue gap. Members agreed they would discuss the service levels and the FPC recommendation at the City Council goal-setting session on the weekend. Mr. Lindberg urged members to discuss new revenue sources. Ms. Schue questioned whether the City Council had accepted a service level recommended by the FPC. e Without the agreement on the service level, revenue sources could not be fruit- fully discussed. Other members agreed they needed to look at the assumptions made to form the FPC service level line. Ms. Wooten reminded members, FPCls charge was to look at other revenue sources. Because property taxes were too high, she urged members to seek a solution before June. She asked for staff to develop several scenarios such as a three-year package. A review of the deadlines for ballot measures was also requested. Mr. Ball was cri tical of the process so far. He said it was one diversion after another and one request after another for more information. He said it was time to make a decision. Ms. Wooten said that they were waiting on the legislature and could not afford to play "catch up." Mr. Long said the assumptions were on the Apple Computer in the City Hall. The driving forces were inflation of salaries and inflation of materials. He invited members to come in and add and subtract assumptions. No matter how the assumptions were manipulated, he saw a $4 to $7 million problem. A one percent increase in wages and a two percent increase in materials and supplies resulted in a bal anced budget. He did not recommend this. It did not include the restoration of services. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council October 24, 1983 Page 2