09/10/1985 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Rutan said he thought the definition of CIP still was uncertain and that - it was important to resolve that issue. He said he would like to see some language differentiating between capital and operating expenses. Mr. Obie asked sta ff to work on tha t. Ms. Schue said she still was concerned about operating expenses for the 1 ibrary, adding that she 1 iked the package otherwise and also would 1 ike to see some type of low-income exemption. She said she favored the .5 percent rate over the .4 percent. Ms. Bascom said an accurate update was needed of projected operating costs for the 1 ibrary. Mr. Gleason reviewed cash flow for the next five years, saying operational costs were expected to be about $4BO,OOO/year, or between $300,000 and $400,000 in 19B5 dollars. Mr. Rutan said expanding the library to BO,OOO square feet would mean about $300,000 to $400,000 in net additional operating cos ts . Mr. Gleason said if the forecasting model held true for the next six years, the cash positive side would remain for six or seven years. Mr. Holmer said he believed in the need for a progressive low-income credit, but would like to allow virtually everyone to pay something, adding that he thought a $10,000 exemption was inappropriate. Mr. Hansen said he thought a fallback position was needed and that the Council needed to determine what citizens were willing to do. He sa i d he thought there would be one chance to do the airport and added that he did not want to jeopardize that position by adding too many items. He said both capital and e operating sides were being increased, and unknowns might be a detriment. Ms. Wooten said other options had not been foreclosed if voters did not approve the first ballot measure. Mr. Hansen said he was concerned about keeping momentum, adding that the airport could be scaled back, but that it should be adequate to meet the needs of the community for the next 20 or 25 yea rs . Ms. Ehrman said doing only the airport would not require the full 1/2 percent tax rate. Mr. Hansen said he favored having enough money to do the airport and to continue capital improvements. Mr. Holmer said doing the 1 ibrary woul d continue funding a t about the same 1 evel and woul d bring in the support of those who favor the library as a higher priority. Mr. Hansen said he thought funding needs should be reduced as much as possible. Ms. Ba scorn said she agreed that she would like to win passage of the measure, and she reminded council members that the County library had received a 74 percent yes vote in the last election. She added tha t she suspected more peopl e in Eugene were reached by the library than by the airport. Mr. Obie said he had changed his mind about supporting the library because of the responses received in the public input process, particularly those at the fair booth, which had put the 1 ibrary among the top three or four projects. Mr. Obie also said he thought the three projects made an interesting complement by combining economic development, preservation of good government through CIP, and providing for the educational environment. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council Revenue Work Session September 10, 1985 Page 8