CC Minutes - 09/26/05 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Corey recommended that the FY07 and beyond Road Fund budgets be prepared with a combination of new and existing resources sufficient to address the ongoing deficit to sustain at least the existing level of service as well as the unfunded capital preservation backlog. He suggested revenue sources could include, but not be limited to, the alternative street tree funding, the establishment of street light assessment districts to address arterial and residential street light programs, and the establishment of a transportation system maintenance fee to fund the deferred maintenance backlog as well as other identified needs in the system. Mayor Piercy solicited council questions and comments. Mr. Kelly asked if any councilor present was not totally bored with the continued discussion of transporta- tion funding shortfalls. He said such discussions would continue until the council came together and showed political leadership in identifying a strategy to overcome the shortfall. He said streets, street lights, and street trees were fundamental core services and he was not interested in a service elimination strategy or in charging additional fees. He wanted to find a new revenue source, and he did not think the council could achieve its goals using dozens of special purpose fees. Mr. Kelly believed the council needed to look at new general purpose revenue in the General Fund. He said that moving programs now into the Road Fund into the General Fund without new general purpose revenues would simply serve to eliminate other valuable programs. He said the council needed a fundamental discussion of how it funds basic services in Eugene, given the anticipated shortfalls in many service areas and the expiration of the Library serial levy. Mr. Papé asked if the City knew when a street was reaching the point where an overlay was no longer possible to remedy the situation. Mr. Corey said yes. He said the increase in the backlog would have been more severe if it was not for the fact the City was able to repair some streets before they “fell off the edge.” Mr. Papé said staff needed to keep that information in front of the council and the Budget Committee. Mr. Corey said if the City did nothing, assuming a rate of inflation, by the time every street reached failure, the cost would be about $1 billion. Mr. Papé said the council should work on the issue in tandem with the Budget Committee, and suggested time be scheduled for that purpose. Mr. Corey said staff was seeking direction at this time in order to prepare the FY07 budget, which would be reviewed by the committee. Mr. Papé reiterated his interest in having Budget Committee assistance and questioned the timing of the review. He suggested that the budget include both options and sub-options so the committee could evaluate them. Mr. Papé referred to the suggestion for street light assessments districts and asked how the City would determine who would be assessed. Mr. Corey said optimally, he would recommend two district types be established. All residents would pay into a district with communitywide benefit focused on arterial and collector lighting. The other district would be neighborhood-based and whether such a district was formed would depend on whether the affected neighborhood wanted street lights. He said that such districts had a lot of success. Currently, residents receive street lights because of the City’s code requirements for new development, and the City paid to operate and maintain the costs of those lights through the Road Fund. Responding to a question from Mr. Papé regarding the proposal to install missing street lighting along arterials, Mr. Corey anticipated the City would develop a plan for street lights similar to the existing Capital Improvement Program. Over a period of time, the council and Budget Committee would set the annual district rates depending on how much of the unlit system they wished to add in over time. MINUTES—Eugene City Council September 26, 2005 Page 7 Work Session