CC Minutes - 07/18/05 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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Teresa Callahan , 537 Honeysuckle Lane, explained that she was speaking as a taxpayer, a local physician, a mother of three school-aged daughters, a former small business owner, and the person who headed her church’s committee on economic justice issues. She had been involved in local discussions about economic development strategies with various community groups over several years. She was not convinced that enterprise zones were the best use of taxpayer dollars, but she appreciated the efforts of several councilors and the Mayor to incorporate fair community standards into the enterprise zone to ensure taxpayers received the best return on investments. She believed that more, not less, public accountability needed to be part of the discussion in which public tax subsidies were provided to private businesses. She thought this kind of accountability had been somewhat lacking in the past. Dr. Callahan recalled that when she first moved to the city of Eugene, Hynix was being built and had been given a series of tax breaks. She said those tax breaks seemed to be “deals made behind closed doors.” She asserted that Hynix failed to keep its promises of keeping certain wage levels and standards of non- discrimination in hiring and certain levels of management jobs for local people and there had been no consequences. She further asserted that many people in the community were left feeling that such tax breaks and zones were a waste of money with no method for public accountability. She wanted “real teeth” in an enterprise zone. She averred that the community standards incorporated into the City Council’s original proposal was a positive response to the unhappiness many in the community felt about past tax breaks. She added that not enough time or opportunity for real public input had been provided. John Brown , 1260 Charnelton Street, thanked the council on behalf of the Cal Young Neighborhood Association for restaffing Fire Station 9, which served his neighborhood. Mr. Brown also wished to bring to the council’s attention the critical need for increased vigilance along the river banks for the next 60 days. He said, as a long-time advocate for the river and the Willamette Greenway, the increase in recreational usage and homeless camping because of warmer weather caused a negative impact to the riparian area. He stated that an increase in preventive measures over the next 60 days would be greatly appreciated by area residents. Kathy Smith , 88649 Fir View Street, asked the council to vote to accept the City Manager’s recommendation for the enterprise zone resolution. She wished to remind councilors that a citizen’s advisory committee on which she had served had reviewed the zone and she underscored its diverse constituency. She related that the group reached an agreement to recommend to the City and the County the creation of an enterprise zone to promote jobs and new investment in the community. She noted that the recommendation provided for greater potential benefit for firms that expanded on existing redeveloped brownfields and infill sites and that the group believed community standards warranted consideration. She related that the citizen group gave significant time, study, and discussion and had learned much in order to frame a proposal to the council and to reflect agreement on key issues for a “uniquely Eugene zone.” She asked the council to continue the group’s progress and vote to accept the resolution. Joseph McKinney , 2968 Summit Sky Boulevard, president of Oregon Roads, submitted his testimony in writing. He explained that his field was commercial and consumer lending. He averred that a business owner would focus on opportunities available through the creation of an enterprise zone. He thought one company might try to take advantage of such a zone and outmaneuver its competitors. He suggested that brokers and contractors would profit. He said information moved fast and such a zone was not sustainable. MINUTES—Eugene City Council July 18, 2005 Page 4 Regular Session