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CCMinutes - 04/12/04 Mtg
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CCMinutes - 04/12/04 Mtg
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City Council Minutes
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Meeting
CMO_Meeting_Date
1/1/2004
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job, she cited a 1993 study paid for by Wal-Mart that had concluded that a gain of 177 new jobs provided <br />by such a store was offset by 148 lost jobs. She felt impacts on traffic, environment, community character, <br />and local economy should be considered. She related that she had visited Arcata, California, to observe its <br />process for creating a comprehensive plan for sustainable development. She advocated for a six-month <br />moratorium on such development to allow citizens to provide more input in development standards. <br /> <br />George Kjaer, 814 Lorane Highway, said he had lived at his house, a historically designated site, for 37 <br />years. He related that he daily walked the streets that were proposed to be designated as collectors. He <br />believed the change in designation would result in significant cost and would not increase safety, traffic <br />efficiency, nor add to property value. He commented that people drove over the speed limit, in spite of <br />curvy, narrow roads. He opined that improving the roads would only increase the hazards presented by <br />motorists. He asked the City Council to direct the Planning Department (PDD) to design efficient arteries <br />and arterials, leading to an efficient Beltline Highway. <br /> <br />James Reed, 990 Crest Drive, related that he heard of the proposed change in street classification from a <br />neighbor and not from the PDD. He noted he had received a small pink postcard informing him of a <br />proposed traffic impact analysis (TIA) in his neighborhood and never heard anything else regarding it. He <br />alleged that City staff had been unresponsive and, at times, "spiteful" of the public process. He asserted <br />that no one had clearly stated the impact of the change and it was, as yet, unknown. He said he had asked <br />what the financial impact to residents would be and staff had responded that they could not discuss this <br />until they had financing for projects and could properly analyze the impact. He felt the reclassification was <br />a "blank check" for the City. <br /> <br />Will Sellers, 6071 Mondavi Lane, expressed his neutrality on a proposed Wal-Mart Store. He commented <br />that family-owned businesses often do not pay more than $10 per hour and do not provide health benefits, <br />due to the expense. He alleged that four companies had expressed willingness to move to Eugene but <br />because of the "hoops" they had to jump through had decided not to relocate here. He asserted these <br />companies average starting pay was $14.75 and hour and they had full health and retirement benefits. He <br />remarked that one of the unnamed companies had a building in the San Jos6 area that was 500,000 square <br />feet. He opined that restrictions on development told businesses that the community did not want such <br />employment. He questioned the wisdom of doing so in the face of having the highest unemployment in the <br />nation. <br /> <br />Ray Wolfe, 1473 Luella Street, spoke in opposition to the Multiple Unit Property Tax Exemption <br />(MUPTE). He stressed that he was not an unmitigated tax opponent, but wanted property taxes to be <br />appropriately accounted for. He alleged that MUPTE shifted property tax burdens from well-to-do <br />property owners to other property owners, many of whom are insolvent or on the verge of insolvency. He <br />noted there were 236 property owners who were three years delinquent and vulnerable to property loss. He <br />asked councilors if they had spoken to any of these residents in their respective wards. <br /> <br />Mr. Wolfe asked if the revenues lost through tax exemption had been fully considered. He cited an Oregon <br />State document in which it was stated that tax exemption costs equal tax revenues. He wondered how <br />much exemptions explained the tax-payers' revolt against bond measures. He asked if future tax-related <br />elections would be lost due to "public reaction to gifts from the poor to the rich." He suggested staff <br />should be required to present the council with an economic impact statement with each tax influencing <br />measure under consideration. He opined the proposed MUPTE ordinance would shift the burdensome <br />taxes to the poor from the richer for the purposes of accelerating development that would take place more <br />slowly without subsidy. <br /> <br />Chris Kluth, 2830 Friendly Street, provided a copy of a letter from his parents who were out of town. He <br />related that his father, currently doing contracting work for the military in Europe, felt City employees had <br /> <br /> <br />
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