Item C: Telecommunications Tax Fund

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ATTACHMENT A tax which supports the Ordinance 20083 program administration, policy analysis, project oversight, and new City telecommunications technology projects of community benefit. In the spring of 1997, the committee presented its recommendations to the full council. After additional public hearings and discussion, Ordinances 20078 (cellular facility site review) and 20083 (cable and telecommunications registration, rights of way use licensing, compensation, and taxation) were adopted, effective July, 1997. Five Administrative Orders were adopted to implement Ordinance 20083. Due to the unstable nature of the legislative and regulatory environment after litigation, only housekeeping amendments have been approved. Despite litigation, many components of Ordinance 20083 were implemented in 1997, although the 2% business privilege tax and the reseller component were fully suspended until Eugene prevailed six years later. In 1999, during a review of council committees, the Council Committee on Telecommunications recommended the committee be sunset advising the council that their policy work was concluded and that project development be transitioned to an administrative process of the City Manager. The recommen- dation was accepted.