Item 3D: Ratification of IGR Meeting Minutes

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In response to a question from Ms. Bettman, Ms. Wilson indicated that the bill was not scheduled for a hearing in the coming week. Ms. Bettman was inclined to support the bill and to give it a higher priority. Mr. Pryor said he would like additional information. Ms. Bettman asked what the Oregon Opportunity Grant program was. No one knew the answer to that question. She asked to pull the bill for further discussion. ? HB 2347 – Related to mental health funding. Recommended Priority 1 Monitor Mr. Hill stated that the bill would increase taxes on beer and wine and the City currently received revenue from the source. An increase would fund the additional activity proposed in the bill and would not affect the City’s current revenue. He recommended the bill be monitored so that no amendments were attached that would reduce the City’s revenue. He stressed that it was an important source of revenue for the City and was projected to provide approximately $2.5 million in fiscal year (FY) 08. Ms. Bettman acknowledged the specific legislative policies the City had that supported increases in that tax. She believed that the fact that the State would take on more mental health treatment would help the City, even if not explicitly. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Mr. Pryor, moved to change the recommendation to ‘support’ with the caveat that the City would support it as long as it did not result in reduced revenue from the tax to the City of Eugene. The motion passed unanimously, 3:0. ? SB 184 –Relating to revenues derived from sales of alcoholic beverages. Recommended Priority 1 Oppose Mr. Hill said this bill would reduce the City’s revenue, as well as the County’s revenue, by diverting two percent of the gross revenues from the sale of distilled liquors to mental health and drug treatment services. He noted that the Governor had introduced the bill as part of his budget to improve mental health funding. He commented that it would be at the expense of local government. He felt the bill could be amended to increase the tax revenue from the sale of liquor in order to fund the improved services. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved to oppose the bill with the amendment that the City would be held harmless in terms of revenue share. The motion passed unanimously, 3:0. ? SB 173 – Relating to disclosure of tax information. Recommended Priority 2 Support Mr. Hill explained that currently the State was allowed to share information with the federal government, but there was no provision to allow the sharing of the information with local jurisdiction that imposed a local income tax. Mr. Pryor ascertained that only someone with taxing authority could gain the information. MINUTES—Council Committee on Intergovernmental January 23, 2007 Page 9 Relations