08/11/1992 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Responding to a question from Ms. Bascom, Mr. Robinette said that he was reluctant to earmark any savings realized from contract elimination at this time. Mr. Nicholson agreed, saying he preferred to wait until the County acted on the hotel/motel industry proposal. Mr. Rutan said that he opposed the motion as he did not favor elimination of the bureau. Mr. Robinette said that was not his intent; he stressed that the votes being cast were straw ballots. Mr. Nicholson said that the intent of the motion was to eliminate General Fund support for the contract. Ms. Bascom said that the bureau was funded from the Transient Room Tax Fund. Mr. Green said that the bureau believed that the City could redirect the money it dedicated to the contract and spend it elsewhere, such as the Hult Center. He said that would be a council decision. The industry supported an increase in the tax for the sake of targeting the increase toward bureau operations. Mr. MacDonald suggested that adoption of the motion implied council assent in a room tax increase to 9-1/2 percent. He said that was an issue for the marketability of Eugene as a convention destination. Mr. MacDonald added that room tax dollars are General Funds. Ms. Bascom said it was not her perception that room taxes were General Funds. They are directed toward specific uses. She said that the visitor industry believes the Hult Center to be critical to its success, and had developed its proposal in order to assure that center operations continued. e Mr. Robinette indicated that, were the County to decide against a room tax increase, his position on the component would change. The motion passed, 5:3. Mr. Boles stressed the preliminary nature of the decisions being made at the meeting for the benefit of those in the audience. Mr. Green agreed to represent the council before the Lane Board of County Commissioners at its hearing August 12, seeking further information about and indicating the City's interest in the proposal made by the hotel/motel industry for an increase in the Transient Room Tax. The council discussed Component 48C, Special Events/Eugene Celebration (Eliminate; realizes $250,000). Mr. Robinette pointed out that the cost of special events and the Eugene Celebration would be sufficient to operate a new fire station. He opposed the use of property taxes to conduct what he termed a "$250,000 party." Mr. Mounts clarified that the cost of the Celebration was about $100,000; the remainder of the money supported other special events, such as The Race and the summer concerts in the parks. Mr. MacDonald said he appreciated Mr. Robinette's point but believed that the e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 11, 1992 Page 9 5:30 p.m.