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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 01/27/03 Mtg MINUTES Eugene City Council Regular Meeting Council Chamber-Eugene City Hall January 27, 2003 7:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Betty Taylor, David Kelly, Nancy Nathanson, George Poling, Gary PapS, Bonny Bettman, Jennifer Solomon. COUNCILORS ABSENT: Scott Meisner. CITY COUNCIL MEETING Mayor James D. Torrey called the meeting to order. 1.PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Torrey noted that there were more people signed up to speak than the allotted time allowed for. He called for a motion from the council regarding how it wished to proceed with the public forum. Councilor Bettman, seconded by Councilor PapS, moved to extend the time of the forum to 45 minutes and decrease the time allotted to speak to two minutes. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously. Allan Erickson, 288 Jackson Street, spoke on the ordinance to increase the fine for less than an ounce of marijuana. He raised concern over what he called misinformation given to the council during the public hearing held during the previous regular session of the council. He noted that Ms. Bettman had made a comment regarding the DARE program and noted that nationwide the program was falling into disrepute and was actually less effective than doing nothing because it introduced people to drugs that they would normally have no awareness of. He said that 30 million smokers of the substance in the United States had been fighting 80 years of misinformation. He said these people had jobs and families and voted and paid taxes. He said increasing the fine was keeping money out of people's pockets that should be spent around the community. State Representative Pat Farr, 4257 Barger Road, expressed his disappointment over the living wage decision previously made by the council. He urged the council to reconsider its decision and adopt a phased implementation of a living wage standard in the City of Eugene. He urged the council to bring the matter before the full Budget Committee. Terry Connolly, 1401 Willamette Street, spoke representing the Eugene Chamber of Commerce. He expressed his pleasure with the topics on the Wednesday work session agenda. Regarding a living wage standard, Mr. Connolly said the chamber had reservations over the implementation of MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 1 Regular Meeting such a standard. He raised concern that such a standard would not actually help people living in poverty. Irene AIItucker, 1720 West 25th Avenue, raised concern that a living wage standard would further hinder the City's ability to help social service agencies and urged the council to exempt social service agencies from any such ordinance if it were passed. Erik Jensen spoke against a living wage standard. He said considering such a proposal when the City was cutting budgets for services over the next several years made no fiscal sense. He said there was no direct evidence that a living wage standard would have a direct effect on poverty levels in the City. He said the implementation of such an ordinance would lead to higher personnel costs within the City and would lead to employee layoffs. He recommended allocating more money to social service organizations to address the poverty problem in the area. Margaret Thumel, PO Box 10944, Eugene, spoke against a living wage standard for the City of Eugene. She said there were no current jurisdictions that maintained any statistics on long-term effects. She noted that all of the cities that had implemented such a standard were backing away from it. She noted that the City had other issues much more pressing than a living wage standard. Tom Slocum, 1950 Graham Drive, spoke against the implementation of a living wage standard. He said it was a bad idea in light of the budget deficits the City faced over the next few years. He urged the council to look at what had happened to other jurisdictions that had implemented such an ordinance. Stefan Ostrach, 110 Mayfair Lane, President of the Lane County Labor Council, spoke in favor of a living wage standard. He said the labor council had voted more than a year ago to endorse a living wage standard for Eugene and had been a strong supporter of the idea ever since. He said wage and benefit standards linked to the use of public dollars were part of an economic development strategy that contributed to good jobs and a healthy local economy. He said Iow wages were a greater cause of the economic problems facing working families in Eugene than lack of jobs. He noted that the City had granted millions of dollars of tax breaks to corporations to attract new jobs but was reluctant to adopt a living wage standard for people who already lived and worked for the City. Mr. Ostrach said that committing the City to pay a living wage and to require subcontractors and those who received City subsidies to do likewise was part of an economic development strategy that would respond to the real crisis of Iow wages in the community. Majeska Seese-Green, 549 Van Buren Street, spoke as the president of the Whiteaker Community Council. She submitted written material to the council. She spoke in support of a living wage standard. She urged the council to support the concept of a living wage and noted that the Whiteaker Community Council had endorsed the concept. Ms. Green said Whiteaker had changed over the years. She noted that there had been hard work to create more participation and activity in the neighborhood organization. She said part of the written material that had been submitted was a work plan for the upcoming year. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 2 Regular Meeting Ms. Green said the Whiteaker council had chosen to condemn the manner in which the police conducted a raid in the Whiteaker neighborhood in October 2002. She expressed her pleasure that the Police Commission had decided to review SWAT policies and protocols. Zachary Vishanoff, Fairmount neighborhood, urged the council to take an interest in what he called the University's mismanagement of affairs in that neighborhood. Lauren Heitzman, 3395 West 7th Avenue, spoke against a proposed motor vehicle fuel tax. He urged the council to remember that the economy was going through a rough time and commented that raising taxes would not stop the situation. He remarked that the council was out of touch with the community. Karl Sorg, 1555 West 18th Avenue, spoke for the implementation of a living wage ordinance. He said it was essential to give Iow-income people a decent wage. Sarah Charlesworth, 2373 Pershing Street, spoke as vice chair of Trainsong Neighborhood Association. She spoke in support of a living wage. She read from the universal declaration of human rights regarding wages for workers. Nick Urhausen, 2858 Warren Street, said a living wage was a fiscal fantasy. He said the City should be mindful of what was being paid by others. He said the market determined what labor was worth. Greg McLauchlan, 2401 West 22nd Avenue, spoke in favor of a living wage standard. He said paying City workers less than a living wage would mean that some of them would require social services that the City was struggling to pay for. He called for a baseline in City salaries of $12 hourly with health benefits and said it would not be too difficult for the City to provide. Dal Ollek, 415 Court Drive, President of AFSCME Local 1724, spoke in support of a living wage. He said a living wage would increase worker happiness and performance. He said the proposal would make Eugene's economy would more healthy and would make the City a better place to live. Salmon Stroich, 570-1/2 West 10th Avenue, spoke in support of a living wage. He noted that he had been a City of Eugene employee for ten years and had benefits for only four of those years. He said he had not seen a dentist or a doctor for 14 years since he could not afford medical care. He said this was the standard of life for those without benefits and lower paying jobs. He noted that he had a college degree and was not a pad-time teenager looking for extra money from a summer job. He asked if the council's vision for the City was that it be a place where people had to look somewhere else if they wanted basic benefits and stable income. Mr. Stroich called for a clarification of whether Councilor Papa's company would benefit from a decision to reject a living wage standard, and whether that was a conflict of interest. John Pitney, 1243 Melvina Way, urged the council to keep considering a living wage standard for the City. He urged the council to be an example of hope in a time of fear. Bob Bussel, 3054 Grand Cayman drive, spoke as the Director of the Labor, Education and Research Center at the University of Oregon. He said he supported a living wage standard MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 3 Regular Meeting because it was an example an essential feature of a "high road strategy" in economic development. He said decent wages, the provision of benefits, and positive labor relations was the most efficient and ethical approach to achieving sustainable economic growth. He said the living wage standard was an important step in the City of Eugene taking the high road. Joseph McKinney, 3210 Witten Drive, spoke as president of Oregon Roads. He said a healthy economy required a healthy balance of resources among its economic classes. He spoke in favor of a living wage standard. He said the standards in the community were too Iow and it showed. He said it was shameful for the City to hesitate. He stressed that consumer spending stimulated business-to-business spending. He urged the council to provide leadership on the issue. Paul Holvey, United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 1273, 2101 West 10th Avenue, said his members endorsed the living wage campaign and had been partners in trying to implement such a standard for the community. He said public dollars should not be used to create Iow wage jobs that undermined living wage jobs and a worker's ability to provide shelter, healthcare, and food for his or her family. He raised concern over Councilor Papa's potential conflict of interest on the issue. Eileen Thompson, 1763 Olive Street, spoke representing the Newman Center. She said the idea of a living wage standard had generated significant support in the community. She said 40 local groups, religious organizations, unions, social service providers, and community organizations had endorsed the idea of a living wage. She stressed that the issue was one the community felt very strongly about. She urged the council to: · Affirm the principal for a living wage standard for the City and establish a wage level and scope of coverage that the council collectively felt was appropriate. · Develop a plan for a phased implementation of the standard. Mayor Torrey introduced Ki-Won Rhew from Eugene's sister city in Chinju, Korea. Mayor Torrey thanked Mr. Rhew for participating in the program. Mr. Rhew reported, to general applause, that there was now an student exchange program between the two sister cities and noted that four students from Korea were now attending local high schools. Mayor Torrey closed the Public Forum and called for council comments. Councilor Bettman thanked those who testified. She noted that the public had not seen the entire problem of the living wage issue. Referring to comments from Mr. Slocum and Mr. Connolly, she noted that the Chamber of Commerce supported economic development investment strategies. She said the major question was which economic development strategies would provide the most benefit to the most citizens. She commented that tax breaks to multi-national corporations or developers did not have a demonstrable benefit to average citizens and expressed her desire to see a comparison discussion over which economic strategies would best help the community. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 4 Regular Meeting Councilor Kelly thanked those who testified. He said a living wage standard could have triggers in its implementation that would allow for hard economic times. He suggested that a living wage standard could be approved and then implemented in a future year. Addressing the issue of conflict of interest, Councilor Kelly said there had been a letter submitted from a legal agency which opined that there was an actual conflict of interest and urged the City Manager to check into the matter before the Wednesday work session. Regarding a living wage, Councilor Taylor said the principal should be adopted and then implemented as it became possible. She said the argument that there was no extra money in the budget was not applicable since there was no excuse for approving the standard in principal and implementing it later. II.CONSENT CALENDAR A. Approval of City Council Minutes · November 25, 2002, Regular Session · December 11, 2002, Work Session B. Approval of Tentative Working Agenda C. Approval of Resolution 4749 Calling a Public Hearing to Consider Proposed Withdrawal of Territories from the River Road Water District and River Road Park and Recreation District and from the Santa Clara Water District D. Appointment to Budget Committee E. Approval of Resolution 4750 Acknowledging Receipt of City of Eugene, Oregon, Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2002 Councilor Pap~, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved to approve the items on the Consent Calendar. Councilors Bettman and Kelly noted previously submitted minutes corrections. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously. Mayor Torrey adjourned the meeting of the Eugene City Council and convened a meeting of the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 5 Regular Meeting III.ACTION: Resolution 1023 Acknowledging Receipt of the Annual Financial Report of the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene, Oregon, for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2002 Mr. PapS, seconded by Ms. Nathanson, moved to approve Resolution 1023 acknowledging receipt of the annual financial statements of the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene, Oregon, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2002. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously. Mayor Torrey adjourned the meeting of the Urban Renewal Agency and re-convened the meeting of the Eugene City Council. IV. PUBLIC HEARING AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Resolution 4748 Adopting Amended Systems Development Charge Methodologies and Amending Resolution 4740 Mayor Torrey opened the public hearing. Jan Spencer, 212 Benjamin Street, spoke in favor of complete systems development charges (SDCs). He stressed the importance of development paying its full share for services and remarked that there had been too much "doling out" to development by the City in the form of inadequate SDCs. Kevin Matthews, 120 West Broadway, said Friends of Eugene was in favor of the resolution. He said current fees were in the bottom third of the state. He said these kinds of fees were picked up by rate payers if they were not paid by new development. Roxy Cuellar, 2053 Laura Street, Springfield, spoke representing the Home Builders Association of Lane County. She said the current methodology already collected 100 percent of the cost of using the wastewater system. She noted that the proposed increase to SDC fees was 140 percent and questioned the reason for that much of an increase. She said the methodology was what was being adopted and not a specific number that coincided with fees charged by different cities. She suggested that the methodology contain the calculations on excess capacity in the system. Ms. Cuellar said City staff was not using State law as a basis for figuring SDCs but were using an intergovernmental agreement from the 1970s as a basis for the methodology. She said that intergovernmental agreements did not supercede State law. Regarding improvement fees, Ms. Cuellar said improvement fees had to be based on a demand analysis, which was also not in the current SDC methodology. She stressed the importance of knowing how much demand there would be on the future system in order to know how much capacity to add. She submitted a written analysis of the methodology. Beth Aedalot stressed that the costs of development should be paid for by the developer. She urged the council to use common sense when it approved an SDC methodology. David Monk, 3720 Emerald Street, said the community should not be expected to subsidize development on the outskirts of the city and that developers should pay for the costs of their own MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 6 Regular Meeting development. He said developers should check their figures before building to make sure that they could pay for the costs of their own development so the average taxpayer would not have to subsidize those costs. Mayor Torrey closed the public hearing and called for questions/comments from the council. Councilor Nathanson called for more information on the methodology and following State law over any intergovernmental agreements. Fred McVey, Public Works Department, said the Metropolitan Waste Water Management Commission (MWMC), by intergovernmental agreement, set the SDC rates and user fees, but he emphasized the current SDC methodology used by the City complied fully with State law. In response to a question from Councilor Poling regarding compliance with the Intergovernmental agreement, City Attorney Jerry Lidz said the City was obligated to follow the intergovernmental agreement so long as what was tendered by the MWMC complied with State Law. He stressed that following the intergovernmental agreement did not preclude following State law as well since the MWMC was required to follow State law. Councilor Bettman said the last time the Public Works Rates Advisory Committee (RAC) recommended a proposal on system development charges to the council, the homebuilders association had submitted last- minute information as a way of postponing implementation of updated SDCs. She said the RAC had representatives from both the Chamber of Commerce and the homebuilders association and it was industry-dominated. She added that the MWMC also included representatives from the development industry. She believed that the homebuilders association had plenty of opportunity to present written information in a more timely manner, or have discussions during the actual process, if the information was actually significant to the discussion. Regarding improvement fees, Councilor Bettman said there was no proportional relationship between improvement and reimbursement fees. She said that reimbursement fees were based solely on the capacity available in the existing system while improvement fees were dedicated to system expansion required to accommodate new growth. She acknowledged that the increase was 140 percent but said that for all of the years that the City was not collecting all of its SDCs, the rate payers were subsidizing infrastructure development. She said the new methodology would have more equity. In response to a question from Councilor Kelly regarding the need for Springfield to adopt the same rates, City Manager Carlson acknowledged that Springfield would have to adopt identical rates for the change to go into effect. He said the Springfield City Council was supposed to take action on the following Monday. In response to a question from Councilor Kelly regarding infrastructure that needed to be constructed over the next ten years and whether SDCs would cover the costs, City Manager Carlson said the projects would go ahead if they were approved by the MWMC. He said it was not clear whether rate payers would have to pick up any extra costs if SDCs did not cover everything needed. Councilor Kelly commented that 140 percent was a significant increase but, putting the amount in context, said it would add $837 to the cost of a $150,000 home. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 7 Regular Meeting In response to a question from Councilor Solomon regarding how the rate of growth was determined and whether the City had any excess capacity, Mr. McVey said the way rate of growth drove the rate change was in the planning around capital improvements to meet new development over time. He said the Regional Wastewater Capital Improvement Plan was being used by MWMC to anticipate the demands of growth. He said capacity was determined by the difference between existing dry weather flows and peak dry weather flow capacity designed into the system. Wastewater Division Director Peter Ruffier said growth projections were based on data released by Lane Council of Governments in 1997. Councilor Solomon said she wanted time to analyze the written information that had been submitted by the homebuilders association. City Manager Carlson suggested that rate payers had not been paying extra for capacity improvements at the treatment plant over the last two decades. He said the change in SDCs really related to two significant transitions. First, the City was getting closer to the end of the design life of the original treatment plant which was built for a twenty-year period that had already been exceeded by five years. City Manager Carlson said 75 percent of the costs of the treatment plant were provided by the federal government. He said the reimbursement charge for the treatment plant was based on the cost of construction minus the federal grant. He said the original cost to the rate payers was based on 25 percent of the cost of the treatment plant. Federal dollars were no longer available to subsidize the full cost of additions to the plant capacity. Second, City Manager Carlson said, the MWMC board had decided, in an effort to stabilize SDC rates over a longer period of time, to lengthen the time period of the project base on which SDCs were based from five years to ten years. City Manager Carlson said there would be big costs involved with increasing capacity to the old system and with replacing pads of the old system. City Manager Carlson said loss of federal dollars and getting ready for large scale improvements to the system were the two major things driving the SDC rate increase. He said the methodology was justified and reflected the desire of the City to collect 100 percent of fees incurred by development. In response to a question from Mayor Torrey regarding whether it was only new growth that was causing the action to take place, Mr. Ruffier reiterated that the original treatment plant was nearing the end of its usable life. In response to a question from Mayor Torrey regarding whether there was time to postpone action until a later date to make sure that Ms. Cuellar's written material was reviewed, City Manager Carlson said action could be taken at the Wednesday work session. In response to a question from Councilor Pap~ regarding a process for reviewing rates on a regular basis, Mr. Ruffier said rates were reviewed but noted that there was no fixed schedule for doing so. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 8 Regular Meeting Councilor Pap~, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved that the City Council approve Resolution 4748 adopting amended systems development charge methodologies and amending Resolution 4740. In response to a question from Councilor Bettman regarding increasing wastewater charges to rate payers, Mr. Ruffier said the rate increases would be for operations and maintenance rather than capital improvement costs. Councilor Bettman said the issue was whether to have development pay its own costs or ask rate payers to pay increased rates. Councilor Kelly said MWMC was a model of regional cooperation and efficiency. He appreciated Ms. Cuellar's testimony but would look to Mr. McVey for verification of City compliance with State law. In response to a question from Councilor Kelly regarding the current treatment plant reaching its maximum capacity, Mr. Ruffier said the old plant components would still be there functioning but the new capital improvements would increase its capability for greater capacity. Councilor Nathanson said the rate increase was significant but noted that the rates would still be among the lowest in the state for residential development and would not substantially change Eugene's ranking in comparison with other Oregon communities. Councilor Poling said he had no doubt that there was a need to expand the system but expressed a desire to have legal council review the written documents submitted. He commented that the fees would eventually be paid by citizens in any event since developers would pass on their costs to the consumer. Councilor Solomon, seconded by Councilor Poling, moved to table the motion until the Wednesday work session. Councilor Solomon reiterated Councilor Poling's comment that it was prudent to review the written documents submitted during the public hearing. Councilor Kelly offered a friendly amendment, which was accepted, to take action after the regular agenda items had been dealt with. Councilor Bettman said she would not support the motion. She reiterated that the homebuilders association had been involved with the process of revising the SDC and opined that if there were any substantive issues in the written material, it would have been put forward during the rate- setting process. Councilor Taylor said she would not support the motion. She said the written material submitted during the public hearing did not say anything new. She said she had been adequately assured that the methodology was legal under State law. Roll call vote; the motion failed, 4:3; councilors Solomon, Kelly, and Poling voting in support. The main motion passed, 5:2; councilors Solomon and Poling in opposition. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 9 Regular Meeting V. PUBLIC HEARING AND POSSIBLE ACTION: An Ordinance Granting to Williams Communications a Nonexclusive Franchise to Use the Public Way to Construct and Maintain Public Communication Facilities Within the City of Eugene Mayor Torrey opened the public hearing. Seeing no one wishing to speak, he closed the public hearing and called for council questions/comments. Councilor Pap~, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved that the City Council adopt Council Bill 4816, an ordinance granting to Williams Communication a non-exclusive franchise to use the public way to construct and maintain public communication facilities within the City of Eugene. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 7:0. VI.PUBLIC HEARING AND POSSIBLE ACTION: An Ordinance Concerning Telecommuni- cations and Amending Section 3.415 of the Eugene Code, 1971, and Providing an Effective Date Mayor Torrey opened the public hearing. Seeing no one wishing to speak, he closed the public hearing and called for questions/comments from the council. Seeing no opposition to taking action that evening, Mayor Torrey called for a motion from the Council President. Councilor Pap~, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved that the City Council adopt Council Bill 4817, an ordinance concerning telecommunications and providing an immediate effective date. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 7:0. VII.ACTION: An Ordinance Concerning a Business License Tax on Motor Vehicle Fuel Dealers, Providing for Administration, Enforcement and Collection of the Tax; Adding Sections 3.465, 3.466, 3.467, 3.468, 3.469, 3.470, 3.471, 3.472, 3.473, 3.474, 3.475, 3.476, 3.477, 3.478, 3.479, 3.480, 3.481, 3.482, 3.483, 3.484, 3.485, 3.486, 3.487, 3.488, and 3.489 to the Eugene Code, 1971 Public Works Department Director Kurt Corey provided an introduction to the item. He said the tax represented the second component of the comprehensive transportation funding recommendation from the citizen members of the Budget Committee. He noted that the public hearing for the item had been held on October 28, 2002. He said the ordinance would declare a business license tax of $.04 per gallon on motor vehicle fuel dealers. He added that the tax would be imposed on fuel distributers delivering fuel to the city to minimize the administrative burden on individual fuel stations. Mr. Corey said the ordinance had been drafted so as to be consistent with other Oregon cities and counties that had implemented similar local option gas taxes and to be consistent with the Oregon MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 10 Regular Meeting Department of Transportation collecting mechanism. He said the use of revenues described in the ordinance were in accordance with the definition of the use of gas tax proceeds as outlined in the Oregon constitution. He said the ordinance anticipated collection through a yet-to-be-drafted intergovernmental agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation. He said the yield to the City would be approximately $650,000 per one cent increment of gas tax. In response to a question from Councilor Solomon regarding the reason for the $.04 tax, Mr. Corey said the tax was four cents per gallon because that was the amount discussed during the public hearing. He acknowledged that Springfield was implementing a $.03 tax and said Eugene could modify its tax to match Springfield's. Councilor Pap~ expressed his hope that the City of Eugene would implement the same amount for the gas tax that the City of Springfield was implementing. Councilor Pap~ said the gas tax should have been implemented before a transportation system maintenance fee, but stressed that the tax was necessary to halt the deterioration of the City's streets and maintain them at a higher level. He said things would get exponentially worse if the City waited any longer to do something about its streets. He expressed a hope that the County would implement such a tax countywide. Councilor Pap~, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved that the council adopt Council Bill 4815, an ordinance concerning a business license tax on motor vehicle fuel dealers. Councilor Kelly commented that there was no need to include a clause in the ordinance that specified implementation of the tax only if it were also implemented by the City of Springfield. In spite of that, he said that if the City of Springfield did not approve a similar gas tax he would look to repealing the gas tax proposed that evening. Councilor Kelly, seconded by Councilor Bettman, moved to amend the motion by changing Section 3.489(2) of the Eugene Code, 1971, as shown on the handout titled "Proposed Motion of Councilor Bettman for Amendment of Business License Tax on Motor Vehicle Fuel Dealers Ordinance." Councilor Kelly said the public had consistently been told that the reason for the transportation system maintenance fee and the gas tax were being implemented was to handle a backlog in street maintenance and preservation. He said the original draft of the ordinance had less specific wording and would allow for building new roads and other things. He said the amendment would specify that the funds collected would only go towards operations, maintenance, and preservation of existing City streets. Councilor Taylor said she was only supporting the motion because of the amendment. She expressed a hope that the previously passed transportation system maintenance fee would be repealed. Councilor Bettman said she would not support the tax if it was not specifically linked to operations, maintenance, and repair of the existing street system. The amendment passed, 6:1; Councilor Pap~ voting in opposition. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 11 Regular Meeting Councilor Nathanson noted that Lane County had opportunities to join with its cities in addressing the growing road maintenance backlog. She said it was unfortunate that the County had balanced its budget by reducing the amount of Road Funds available to its cities. Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Pap~ moved to amend the motion by changing Section 3.467(b) of the proposed ordinance to make the amount of the tax $.03. Councilor Poling said the amendment would enable a level playing field with Springfield. Councilor Kelly favored the $.04 amount because more of the backlog could be addressed with the additional funds collected. He noted that even at $.04 the full amount needed would still not be reached. He added that prices varied as much as $.07 at different stations so there would not be much of a disparity between Eugene and Springfield. Mr. Corey said the Budget Committee would determine what the funding level ultimately needed to be. Councilor Bettman reiterated Councilor Kelly's comments regarding the variation in price at different gas stations. Roll call vote; the amendment passed, 4:3; councilors Bettman, Kelly, and Taylor voting in opposition. Councilor Bettman said she would support the amended motion because any revenue collected via the gas tax would reduce the overall burden to residents required to pay the Transportation System Maintenance Fee. Mayor Torrey commented that the decision being made by the council was a tough one and was made even tougher by the fact that Lane County had a $53 million Road Fund reserve that could be used to address the issue. He said Eugene and Springfield represented 47 percent of Lane County and were not receiving their fair share of County road funds. He opined that the council would repeal the transportation maintenance fee and lower the gas tax if the City received its fair share of County road funds. Councilor Solomon, seconded by Councilor Pap~, moved to amend the motion by changing the language in the ordinance so that dealers would not be charged for an additional license fee. Councilor Solomon said she did not want to place an additional fee on dealers who were already incurring additional expense by the extra staff time involved in implementing the ordinance. City Manager Carlson suggested, to general consensus, that it be a motion to direct the city manager instead of amending the original motion. Councilor Solomon withdrew her motion. The main motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 10 p.m. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 12 Regular Meeting Respectfully submitted, James R. Carlson City Manager pro tern (Recorded by Joe Sams) MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 27, 2003 Page 13 Regular Meeting