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ATTACHMENT A Lane CoUnty, Board of Commissioners Bill Dwyer Bobby Green, Sr. Don Hampton Anna Morrison Peter Sorenson RECEIVED tSY CITY MANAGER September 1, 2004 ~EP 0 ~ 200~ wP bc/bg/04017/T Honorable Mayor Jim Torrey and City Council Members City of Eugene 777 Pearl Street Eugene, OR 97401 Re: Lane County Public Safety District Dear Mayor Torrey and City Councilors: Lane County government has struggled for more than a decade to obtain adeqUate funding for its services, including public safety, which consumes more than 70 percent of the county's discretionary general fund. We have been unable to avoid reductions to our shared system of public safety services on nearly an annual basis. The lack of adequate funding diminishes our capacity to impose appropriate sanctions on offenders (fewer jail beds, less rigorous prosecution of crimes); dilutes the potency of supervision (too many offenders per probation officer); and delays or eliminates tactics that can reduce repeat offenses (alcohol, drag and sex offender prevention and treatment). In short, when we fail to provide adequate capacity in the county elements of our shared public safety system, cities are less safe and more at risk. To address the shortfall in resources, we have presented the issue to our citizens numerous times. We have tried a broad based public safety property tax measure put together by our Public Safety Coordinating Council (PSCC). We tried a similar measure as an income tax surcharge. We tried a propertytax measure in a specific geographic area (McKenzie Valley) seeking approval for an enhanced level of law enforcement. We have tried capital (bond) measures tc.. expand capacity at the jail, expand the intake center and acquire a new emergency communication system. While a few of the measures came close, they all failed. Sheriff Jan Clements, finding the continuing decline in public safety services unacceptable, has proposed the creation of a public safety district to be voted on at the November 2006 general election. On August 25, 2004 we approved the initiation of that process which has four distinct steps. In the Eugene-Springfield area, we need to amend the 'Metro Plan. We then need to apply and hopefully obtain approval from the Lane County Local Government Boundary Commission. In the Boundary Commission process, we need to submit resolutions from the city councils of those cities that wish to have the district apply within their city's incorporated limits. Finally, we need voter approval. PUBLIC SERVICE BUILDING / 125 EAST 8TH AVENUE / EUGENE, OR 97401 / (541) 6824203 / FAX (541) 6824616