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C.Work Session: Legislative Priorities for the 2001 Oregon Legislative Session <br /> <br />Mr. Johnson introduced the item, saying that it was an opportunity for the council to discuss its <br />legislative priorities and issues for the State and federal legislative agenda with members of the <br />Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations. <br /> <br />Sara Hamlen of the City Manager's Office noted that the Council Committee on <br />Intergovernmental Relations had met twice in the last two weeks to review the council's <br />legislative policies, and would meet again on November 20 and November 29. She anticipated <br />that the council would be asked to approve the legislative policies on Monday, December 11. <br /> <br />Ms. Nathanson, chair of the Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, briefly discussed <br />the purpose and different audiences for the City's legislative policies document. Ms. Nathanson <br />said that the committee needed to know about the council's level of support for lobbying for some <br />of the issues raised by individual councilors since the last session, and was soliciting <br />suggestions for other issues. <br /> <br />Ms. Hamlen distributed copies of a straw poll listing issues raised in the past, stressing that the <br />list of issues was not complete. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly said that the State's restriction on the City's ability to assess quantity-based fees for its <br />toxics right-to-know program was an important issue to him. He was also interested in tax <br />restructuring on a statewide level to help to stabilize municipalities' general funds. Mr. Kelly <br />suggested that the legislation be asked to allow school districts to assess a systems <br />development charge to new development for schools. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly recollected the passage of recent state laws that made the drafting of the City Land Use <br />Code Update more challenging, specifically the legislation related to needed housing and the <br />legislation requiring all refinement plans to be directly included in the Land Use Code. He asked <br />if there was anything the council could do to revise those laws during the upcoming session. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly thanked the committee members for their hard work. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey recommended that the council focus on a few key priorities to ensure it had the <br />greatest impact. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner also thanked the committee. He said that the list distributed by Ms. Hamlen was <br />very helpful. Mr. Meisner said that the topics of local government financing and local finance <br />options were very important to him, particularly after the State had acted to preempt the City's <br />video tax. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner suggested the City consider advocating for a statewide ban on smoking in <br />businesses. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner appreciated the priority given by the City to rail. He hoped the City would advocate <br />for more funding than was currently allocated. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner said that if the City Council decided to defer to the State on any issue with a <br />relationship to home rule, it needed to explain that in the document, and justify the departure <br />from policy. <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 15, 2000 Page 7 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />