CC Minutes - 08/11/08 Work Session

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government was switching to a new band and the priority would ask the LOC to urge the governor to pressure state agencies to work with local governments. Mr. Zelenka said he was surprised there was no gas tax increase on the list. He asked if the industry was proposing anything. Ms. Wilson said the proposal was for a $0.14 tax, with preemption of local taxes, which was unacceptable. She said a gas tax was only part of the solution to transportation funding. Mr. Zelenka suggested adding a gas tax increase to the list. He also liked the item on LOC’s list related to a statewide drug takeback program intended to reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals entering the waste stream. Ms. Bettman asked when the council would discuss the City’s legislative agenda. Ms. Wilson said the IGR was reviewing the City’s legislative policy document and she would be meeting with executives to identify priorities for the City’s proactive legislative agenda. Ms. Bettman said two items were of significance to her: removal of the prohibition on charging system development charges (SDC) for public safety capacity (fire and police) and adjustment of the interest paid on property tax appeals as 12 percent was an outrageous rate. She said issues on the LOC list such as the statewide drug takeback program should also be considered. She noted that Item X would oppose legislative attempts to require end of pipe standards for wastewater discharges, when those standards should be supported. She regretted that legislature was backpedaling on ethics reform. She would not support a list of priorities for the LOC because it was not appropriate for the LOC to lobby on behalf of the City when the only item of common interest among jurisdictions was a fair and equitable property tax system. Ms. Solomon stated that the LOC provided value to the City and helped to identify common ground among cities across the state. She pointed out that Eugene was not at the mercy of the LOC and could still advance its own legislative agenda and priorities. She would support the IGR’s recommendations. Ms. Piercy encouraged councilors to identify those issues that they felt should be considered for the City’s legislative priorities. She noted that metal theft was a major problem in the community. Mr. Zelenka commented that water filtration systems could not cost-effectively eliminate pharmaceuticals and the drug takeback program was important to water quality. Mr. Pryor, seconded by Ms. Bettman, moved to adopt the Intergovernmental Com- mittee’s five recommendations to the 2009 League of Oregon Cities (LOC) legisla- tive recommendations list. Mr. Clark stressed the value that the City received from its participation in LOC, which brought partners together to create a stronger voice. Ms. Taylor clarified that the IGR was only recommending support of five items from the LOC list. The motion passed, 6:1; Ms. Bettman voting no. The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m. MINUTES—Eugene City Council August 11, 2008 Page 8 Work Session