6.10.2019 City Council Work Session Minutes

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Councilor Zelenka- explained that his intention was to give small business owners a break. VOTE ON MOTION TO AMEND: PASSED 6:2, Councilors Taylor and Clark opposed. MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Clark, seconded by Councilor Evans, moved to extend the meeting 10 minutes. PASSED 8:0. Council Discussion: • Councilor Zelenka - said he thinks City Council has a responsibility to put this out for a vote on the November 2019 ballot. MOTION TO AMEND: Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Clark, moved to delete the last two sentences of section (6) and add a new section (9) that states, "This ordinance shall take effect only if approved by voters at the November 5, 2019 election. In such an event, the ordinance shall be effective upon the Mayor's proclamation under section 2.986 of the Eugene Code, 1971 that the measure passed." Council Discussion: • Councilor Semple - said she did not feel ready to vote on this motion, as there are so many pros and cons to talk about; said council has responded to addressing low-income individuals; discussed about how the majority of people want to have better public safety services and other choices have been looked at diligently; supported moving forward. Councilor Clark- said that the City does have the money to bridge between the end of the current funding and the November election in reserves; said that an initiative referral will be much harder to pass than if City Council refers the tax to the voters. Councilor Syrett - expressed concern that if City Council doesn't pass this tax, the current strategies and momentum will be jeopardized. Councilor Taylor - said she didn't think the tax formula has been changed enough and it should be referred to voters to see if it passes. VOTE ON MOTION TO AMEND: FAILED 3:5, Councilors Taylor, Zelenka, and Clark in support. Council Discussion: • Councilor Zelenka - expressed that although he would have liked to see this tax referred to the voters, he thinks that it's important to move forward and will join the majority of the councilors in supporting the motion as amended. VOTE ON ORDINANCE AS AMENDED: PASSED 6:2, Councilors Taylor and Clark opposed. MOTION: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple, moved to adopt Attachment C, a Resolution Calling a City Election on November 5, 2019, for the Purpose of Referring to the Legal Electors of the City of Eugene a Charter Amendment that Caps the Rate and Limits the Use of the City's Payroll Tax. MINUTES - Eugene City Council June 10, 2019 Page 5 Work Session