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program with a one-percent sales tax that included some exemptions to mitigate the regressive nature of the tax. Mr. Kelly said the new sales tax would be combined with an 80 percent reduction in the County property tax rate. After discussion by task force members, 10 of 12 jurisdictions, including Eugene, supported Mr. Stewart’s proposal as well as an alternative proposal for a gross receipts tax on mid-sized and larger businesses. Mr. Kelly reported that eight of twelve jurisdictions approved the alternative proposal. He noted that Commissioner Stewart also recommended that the tax be enacted by ordinance for a three-year period, followed by a public vote that would lock in the rate in the County Charter if the voters approved the measure. Ms. Taylor read excerpts of a letter from a citizen arguing for the preservation of additional land in the south hills and maintaining that it was a regional issue rather than a local neighborhood issue. The letter writer also wrote that preservation of land would benefit future generations, and argued that citizens preferred to preserve land rather than see it developed as home sites. The land would be lost to the public as well as the wildlife that used it. Ms. Taylor agreed with the letter writer, and said she believed the City should preserve all lands that contained sensitive species and provided interconnectivity for water and wildlife. She noted the failure of a motion that she offered to the council the previous week that would have directed the manager to begin the process of a establishing a building moratorium on the site known in the Goal 5 inventory as Site E37. She said she had shared with the manager her disappointment that City staff “seemed to be working against” the motion. Ms. Taylor asserted that it was staff’s responsibility to say how her motion could be made to work, rather than saying “don’t do it.” She also thought that pointed out the failings of the City’s combined planning and development functions. Ms. Taylor believed the City needed a Planning Department. She noted that the council would later discuss the City’s stormwater program and suggested that the upper Amazon Creek already exceeded TMDL (total maximum daily loads) for pollutants because of existing development in the area. More houses would make it worse. Ms. Solomon had no items. Mr. Poling reported he received calls about increased criminal activity from residents living on Holly Avenue in Mr. Papé’s ward. He noted the work Mr. Papé and Captain Steve Swenson of the Eugene Police Department had done on the topic. He said he had shared with the neighbors that he would meet with City Manager Dennis Taylor on October 14, and requested a short briefing from the City Manager about the situation. He suggested that he, Mr. Papé, and the City Manager sit down to discuss potential approaches when Mr. Papé returned. City Manager Taylor thanked those who participated in the Sixth Annual Eugene Business Commute Challenge. He said that participation had been strong, spurred by high gas prices. He thanked City employee in particular, who helped the City secure top honors for participation by a public organization with more than 300 employees. City Manager Taylor reminded the council of the joint elected officials meeting scheduled for the next night. MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 10, 2005 Page 2 Work Session