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1.EconomicProsperityʹGrowthePropertyTaxBase <br />Ultimately,ourpropertytaxbasemustgrowtoensurethatlongtermrevenuesareavailableto <br />maintainservicesattheirpresentlevels.Additionaleconomicprosperityactionswillbeimplemented, <br />guidedbytheRegionalEconomicProsperityPlan,EnvisionEugeneandCouncilgoalswithongoingfocus <br />onsupportingthelocalbusinesscommunity,employmentandwagegrowth.Theseactionswillalso <br />encouragenewandexpandedbusinessinvestmentinexistingvacantandunderutilizedindustrialand <br />commerciallands.However,growingthepropertytaxbasealonewillnotclosethe$6milliongapinthe <br />nearterm.Nearlyabilliondollarsofnewpropertyvaluewouldbeneededtoachieve$6millionof <br />additionalrevenue,whichismorethantwicethevalueofƵŐĞŶĞ͛Ɛtoptentaxpayerscombined. <br />2.CostControlʹContinueFootprintReductions <br />TheCityhassuccessfullyreduceditsGeneralFundexpensesinrecentyears.Employeeswillagainbe <br />askedtofindadditionalefficiencies,includingcontinuedandexpandedcommunitypartnerships.This <br />willbedoneinawaythathasminimalimpactondirectservicestothecommunitybeingprovidedbyor <br />throughtheCity. <br />3.TransitioningFundingforParksCoststoStormwaterFee <br />TransitioningfundingfortheGeneralFundparksmaintenancebudgetintothestormwaterfundwillfree <br />upGeneralFundmoniestomaintainothercommunityservicesthatarecentraltothequalityoflifefor <br />allEugeneresidentsandpreventfurthererosionoftheseservices.Itwillalsoprovideamorestable <br />ongoingfundingsourceforparksmaintenance. <br />4.NewCityServiceFee <br />Unfortunately,theaboveactionswillnotclosetheentirebudgetgap.Asaresult,theCitywillneed <br />additionalrevenuestomaintainthecurrentlevelofservicesandmovetheorganizationforwardon <br />prioritygoals.Asnotedabove,thesurveyhasindicatedtheĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ͛Ɛwillingnesstopayamodest <br />monthlyservicefeeinordertomaintaintheirpresentqualityoflife.Baseduponthatinformation,the <br />proposedFY14PlanofActionrecommendsthattheremaininggapbeclosedbyaskingEugenevotersto <br />authorizesuchamodestfeeofupto$10permonth. <br />Thedepressedeconomyhasimpactedourcommunityandweknowmanypeoplearestillstruggling. <br />WehaveworkedhardtomaintainservicesweknowareimportanttothequalityoflifeinEugene. <br />However,wehavereachedapointinwhichwecannolongermaintaintheservicesweprovidetoday <br />withoutamodestfeeincrease.Weareputtingforthaplanforconsiderationthatcouldmeetthedesire <br />tohaveahealthy,vibrantplacetolive,balancedwithsensitivitytothefinancialimpactthatthese <br />proposalswouldhaveonEugeneresidents.WeareconfidentthattheconversationwiththeCity <br />Councilandthecommunitywillprovidevaluabledirectiononthesedifficultchoices. <br />December2012 <br />