CC Minutes - 05/23/07 Work Session

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cated to pavement capital preservations projects, including approximately $350,000 per year for capital bike path preservation (estimated to cost the average homeowner $80 per year). Ms. Solomon underscored that this element of the package required voter approval. She appreciated this mechanism because the money would be taken out only as the City needed it. She said she would not make a motion at this time but she hoped that the council would consider increasing the amount of the local option levy from $7 million to $7.5 million. Ms. Bettman indicated her support for the funding mechanism. She reiterated her assertion that what had put the City in this position had been a prioritization of the building of new capital construction over operations and maintenance. Mr. Zelenka supported the motion because it required voter approval. He believed it to be the least fair funding mechanism of the five as nearly half of the people who use the roads did not live in the city of Eugene. He opined that the City had too much reliance on property taxes and needed to diversify its revenue. Ms. Taylor indicated her support for the motion. The motion passed unanimously, 8:0. Ms. Ortiz, seconded by Mr. Pryor, moved to implement a solid waste collection fee sur- charge to generate approximately $1 million annually (estimated to cost the average house- hold $1 per month). Ms. Taylor opposed the motion. She felt it could cause some people to decide they could not afford to pay to have their garbage hauled away. Ms. Bettman asserted that it was unfair to single out garbage haulers given that other heavy trucks utilized the roads. She said she had “vigorously” opposed the funding mechanism at the subcommittee level. Mr. Clark opined that the funding mechanism was “too arbitrary.” He did not think he could support it. Mr. Zelenka differed, noting that the garbage haulers did not think it was an onerous funding mechanism. He believed the nexus was there. He reiterated that the largest garbage hauler in the City utilized 85 trucks that traveled every street in the City. He stressed that these trucks traversed streets that no other trucks visited. He did not believe charging an extra dollar per month would cause people to begin dumping their garbage elsewhere. He also wished to note that the garbage haulers gained nothing from the fee. Mr. Pryor recognized the principle behind the funding mechanism. He underscored that it was not administratively possible to assess other heavy trucks. He added that the garbage haulers that had been contacted had indicated they did not oppose the fee. Mr. Clark, seconded by Mr. Pryor, moved to extend the meeting by five minutes. The mo- tion passed unanimously, 8:0. MINUTES—Eugene City Council May 23, 2007 Page 8 Work Session