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Mr. Macherione questioned how widening West 11` Avenue and mixed use worked together. He <br />understood that wide streets were an impediment to mixed -use residential development and he questioned <br />why the Lane Transit District (LTD) would want to run buses down both sides to "no destinations." He <br />asked where the City would locate industrial uses if it did not expand the urban growth boundary. Mr. <br />Macherione said "you can't have everything in every location." He hoped that those who testified at the <br />February EmX hearing received as much consideration from the council as the residents in support of a <br />City income tax for schools. <br />Charles Hibberd, 5555 West 11` Avenue, suggested that public union employees should make <br />additional wage and benefit concessions before the community was asked to pay another tax. He was not <br />impressed with the education his children had received in Eugene for the money he had paid. <br />Mr. Hibberd said he had a list of 75 customers he had done business with over the last 17 years that he <br />would provide to the council, and not one business on the list would benefit if someone arrived on a bus. <br />The businesses in question were generally industrial in nature. Mr. Hibberd shared a map that showed an <br />area along West 11` Avenue where he averred 95 percent of the businesses would not be visited by <br />anyone on a bus. He pointed out that those businesses paid the taxes that supported the Lane Transit <br />District. He did not think that EmX was needed in the corridor in question. <br />Joy Marshall, 5166 Alpine Loop, Stand for Children, advocated for a City income tax for schools. She <br />supported a temporary, fair income tax, and suggested that the City might have to tax those with incomes <br />below $50,000 to realize the needed amount. The money collected would go to classroom instruction and <br />to add school days. She anticipated that even if such a tax was passed, teachers would still have to take <br />cuts, and she thought it was important the public knew that. Ms. Marshall favored placing the measure on <br />the May 2011 ballot. <br />Ms. Marshall reported that she had recently met with Governor John Kitzhaber, who asked that efforts to <br />pass the tax not be allowed to distract from State efforts for education funding reform. She supported that <br />sentiment, but did not think that cutting more money from the local schools was sustainable. She <br />suggested that the community needed to recognize the funding problem was not a State problem, but a <br />"kids' problem." She pointed out the importance of a well- funded school system to reduced crime levels <br />and employee recruitment. <br />Sarah Case, 2525 Charnelton Street, advocated for a City income tax for schools. She asked those in <br />favor of the tax to stand. Many people did. Ms. Case emphasized the importance of a City income tax for <br />schools to an adequately funded education system. She said budget reductions made in the past several <br />years had resulted in shorter school years and larger class sizes. Ms. Case said reductions in Oregon <br />school funding had resulted in a loss of touch with the "norms" of education. She did not think the State <br />would act anytime soon, and recommended the City take local action. She shared testimony from her <br />husband that emphasized the importance of the schools to employee recruiting efforts. <br />Craig Smith, 2611 Suncrest Avenue, chair of the Eugene School District 4J Board of Directors, <br />suggested some changes to the resolution that would establish a City income tax for schools. <br />Eugene Drix, 307 -1/2 High Street, shared some of the history of Eugene and expressed his love for the <br />community. He spoke of its kind and enlightened citizens past and present. He said that the community <br />"took all of us" and he was proud of each member of the community for bringing their "piece of the truth" <br />to the discussion. He learned something new every time he attended a council meeting. <br />MINUTES— Eugene City Council February 14, 2010 Page 3 <br />Regular Meeting <br />