Item B: Approval of Legislative Policies Document

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City of Eugene Legislative Policies for 2009 Oregon Legislative Session I NTRODUCTION As the state's second most populous urban area, Eugene and Springfield serve as the economic, recreational and cultural center for the southern Willamette Valley and much of southwestern Oregon. The urban area population is now more than 200,000. The regional economy is diversified, with emphasis on technology, timber, education and service industries. The City of Eugene operates under a home rule charter providing for a council/manager form of government. The offices of the mayor and city councilors are nonpartisan, with the mayor elected at-large and one councilor elected from each of eight city wards. In the past two decades, as a result of property tax limitation measures, specifically Measure 5 in 1990 and Measures 47/50 in 1996/1997, the City has gone through a number of budget reduction processes. In the early 1990s as a result of Measure 5, Eugene went through an extensive 18-month process to evaluate City services and potential budget cuts. The City identified and made $5.3 million in budget cuts through eliminating services and reducing personnel. In 1996, voters in Eugene rejected Measure 47 by a 64.5% to 35.5% vote. However, the Measure passed statewide. As a result of Measure 47 and subsequent Measure 50, the City cut services by an additional $8.7 million in services in fiscal years 1998 and 1999. Despite voter approval of several local option levies, the City’s revenue has not kept pace with the service needs of the community since then. Service levels have been reduced and General Fund reserves have been tapped to forestall deficits that were projected to occur. Despite the fiscal challenges faced by the City, Eugene has to-date maintained an AA bond rating from Moody’s Investors Service. This rating is a positive reflection of the management and performance history of the City. It is supported by the fact that a large percentage of the citizens rate City services positively, and demonstrates that the City is attempting to strategically address the fiscal and service issues facing the community in this decade. I. ES XECUTIVE UMMARY To assist lawmakers in understanding the broad array of issue areas which can directly affect the City of Eugene, this legislative policy overview provides an issue-by-issue resource. For 2009, the City of Eugene will focus on three broad themes in evaluating legislation: preserving home rule and local flexibility, ensuring revenue for needed services, and preserving livability. 4