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options or if the situation was already in a steady state of decline. She hoped no large problems <br />were imminent. <br /> <br />Ms. Nathanson suggested the issue of governance for the airport was a budget issue for the <br />council. She hoped that the discussion did not imply criticism of the airport or suggest that the <br />airport was not essential to the area's economic infrastructure. She noted that the City would lose <br />direct oversight of the airport service if it was a regional service. If the airport was regionalized, <br />the City was likely to be one of several partners. In theory, there was also the potential for a <br />revenue loss. She looked forward to additional information. <br /> <br />Mr. Poling thanked the Airport Commission and the Airport staff. He said that he received a press <br />release earlier in the month indicating that flights, seats, and passenger numbers had increased <br />since January 1. He asked if the Board of County Commissioners had indicated any interest in <br />forming an airport service district or if the City had inquired of a larger multi-county areas of their <br />interest, and of the property tax increase that would be gained by regionalizing the airport. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey expressed appreciation for the work done by Mr. Noble. He asked what benefit the <br />City of Eugene would gain from regionalizing the airport. He had heard nothing about any <br />benefits. He asked why Linn, Benton, Douglas, and Coos counties would choose to participate in <br />a potentially bad situation. What did they owe Eugene? He suggested that regionalizing the <br />airport would be best if the airport faced major problems. He asked what the City of Springfield <br />could gain from regionalization. He was open to further discussion, but he questioned if Eugene <br />would receive a buyer. Unless the airport was so substandard it impacted everyone's economy, <br />others would probably not be willing to join with Eugene. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey solicited a second round of council comments and questions. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman said that one could have an airport district without levying any taxes at all. She <br />believed the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission was a viable model for the <br />airport. She wanted to examine if the City could expand that concept to include an airport district. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman said the organization needed to do a better job of advocating for the taxpayer, and <br />she did not want the City to go to the taxpayers in a few years to ask for money to support what <br />she believed to be a regional service. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey solicited a third round of council comments. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman called for the airport to be regionalized now. She said that if Eugene waited until the <br />airport was in the red, it would be negotiating with other government partners from a position of <br />weakness. Now it could negotiate from a position of strength. She saw regionalization as vital to <br />the future of the airport. <br /> <br />Ms. Solomon expressed appreciation for the information provided by staff regarding special <br />districts. However, she said the airport was not broken, and she saw nothing to be fixed. She <br />suggested the council focus its energy on transportation issues, economic development, and the <br />potential human services that would come up when State budget cuts were implemented on July <br />1. She said that the council's discussion of the airport added to an already full work program. <br /> <br /> MINUTES - Eugene City Council June 25, 2003 Page 5 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />