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Mr. McKinney asked what incentive a community had to accept this zone if it did not come with good standards. He said, as a local business person, he did not believe something that was not good for the local economy at large was in his best interest. Because the economy is consumer-driven, it is important, he felt, to recognize that the consumer benefited from community standards. He likened incentives to business as public assistance and it was reasonable to attach caveats in order to ensure that such assistance achieved the desired effect. He said it was reasonable, just as when granting a loan, to attach performance requirements to the zone such as good jobs, clean and lawful business practices, and a long-term commitment to the community. He underscored that the public expected a net gain from the incentives provided by an enterprise zone. He asked if there were guarantees such as a penalty clause for a business that “cut and ran.” Lucy Lahr , 2095 Pierce Street, stated that she worked with the Eugene/Springfield Solidarity Network - Jobs with Justice Chapter. She acknowledged the work the councilors and Mayor had undertaken to provide a good tax incentive that invested tax dollars in business development and maintenance. She conveyed the Solidarity Network’s appreciation that the council’s language provided opportunities for both existing and new businesses and that the council and the Lane Board of County Commissioners were engaged in a discussion, hoping it would benefit the entire community. The network had been “somewhat surprised and dismayed” that the commissioners had not followed through with the agreement “forged with the City Council” the previous week. She averred that the reason for economic tools such as an enterprise zone was to create new jobs, attract new businesses, and to support existing businesses looking to grow. She iterated it was critical that elected officials and quasi-government agencies using taxpayer money for economic development represent the taxpayers. She stressed that taxpayers wanted family wage jobs so that they could afford to live in this community, obtain affordable healthcare, and contribute to a stable tax base to support public services, public education, and local infrastructure. She said that in order to maintain the public trust, the process had to be transparent. She supported the enforcement of community standards and accountability, so that businesses were accountable for adherence to those standards. She quoted from a business recruitment brochure from the Lane Metro Partnership, as follows: “Lane County businesses enjoy working as a team with local government to find win-win solutions to satisfy business and citizens alike.” Ms. Lahr asked that Eugene citizens keep working together to satisfy the needs of the entire community. th Paul Conte , 1461 West 10 Avenue, submitted his testimony in writing. He supported the City Council’s original position on appropriate community standards for a new enterprise zone. He thought the agreement provided for “sensible assurance” that tax breaks would be tied to job creation. He felt that recent positions taken by some of the Lane Board of County Commissioners was not what “most Eugeneans would endorse.” He advised the council to mutually support one another after “hammering out” a difficult position on an issue. He felt a shift from the original agreement could undermine the council’s ability to work in good faith toward future compromises. Continuing, Mr. Conte presented an update on the work of the Chambers Area Families for Healthy Neighborhoods (CAFHN). He called it a positive example of “constructive and creative public involvement.” He reported that CAFHN completed an inventory of neighborhood sites that were zoned R-3, R-4, and C-2 and identified over 30 parcels with high potential for residential development. The group thought this could support more than 475 new dwelling units and could help stabilize existing neighborhoods in that area. He said the work served to improve the outlook for a Chambers Multi-Use Center Plan that would protect the irreplaceable close-in established neighborhoods. He pointed out that CAFHN delivered its full density analysis, which was included in council packets. He stressed that the group’s proposal for MINUTES—Eugene City Council July 18, 2005 Page 5 Regular Session